RPM: Battle For Humanity
by thunderyoshi
Summary: What was originally a computer virus has succeeded where countless others have failed. Humanity has fallen, and the few survivors of the first attack now reside in the domed city of Corinth. But there is still hope, in the form of a new team of Rangers, and Teddie is determined to win the battle against Venjix, and keep those she loves safe from any more harm.
1. Road to Corinth

**So I know I said I wasn't going to post this just yet but...I couldn't resist. I already have the first four chapters written and I am _weak_.  
**

 **Updates are gonna be sporadic until the end of November, but I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Road to Corinth

" _Listen carefully ok? We don't have a lot of time. It started two years ago. Space Patrol Delta reported the appearance of an aggressive new computer worm. The Venjix Virus. A year later, it was estimated that Venjix had already infected 37% of the worlds computer systems. By then, it was too late. SPD was brought to it's knees, unable to stand up to the virus that made a mockery of their technology. Communication with the rest of SPD outside of Earth was severed. Venjix took control of the worlds communication, power, and defence systems. It built armies of advanced robotic soldiers that laid waste to everything in their path. There was no stopping them, and Venjix declared victory. But it's not over. Not yet. If you can hear my voice, please go now to the domed city of Corinth. It's the only place we can be safe. But you have to make it inside the city walls before the defence shield is activated. Please. Hurry._ "

The air was filled with the sounds of explosions and gunfire, mixed in with screams and robotic whirring. Around the large dome, all manners of vehicles rode up and skidded to a stop, and soldiers ushered terrified civilians who were covered in dirt inside.

"I don't give a shit about protocol Sky, I'm going out there," his glasses cracked and his hair covered in a fine layer of dust, Spencer Bly, once the SPD Gold Ranger, glared up at his slightly taller commander.

"Spencer, you can't do that, it's far too dangerous, and god knows what's between you and Teddie," Sky insisted, standing between his former team-mate and the army of robots.

"You're not my boss any more Sky, SPD is gone! I will not hesitate to break your nose if you get in my way any more," Spencer's voice was a low growl as he glared furiously at him.

"Ok, first of all, I think you and Annie need to stop hanging out," Sky grabbed his wrists and forced Spencer to look at him. "It's just as you said Spencer, SPD is gone, and so are our Ranger powers! Other than your genetic powers, you have _nothing_ to protect you from what's going on out there!" he insisted, but Spencer tried to pull himself free. Sky continued to try and hold him back, until they heard a yell and looked around. More of the robots, called Grinders, were approaching. "We need to stop them!" Sky barked to Spencer, who scowled even more.

"Fine. Then I find my sister," he told Sky, who sighed as he drew his blaster. The former Ranger moved off to take out the robots, and Spencer turned to face the monsters that stood between him and finding Teddie. "Teddie, you are in for a world of hurt when I find you," Spencer vowed. Light flickered in his hands, and he moved much faster than the robots, taking out each with a well-placed energy ball. Before long, he spotted more swarming the Colonel of the military of Corinth, and let out a low growl. He ran at them, and within moments had destroyed them all.

"Thank you son," the imposing man nodded to Spencer, surveying him curiously. "You're SPD, and part of the infamous B-Squad, am I correct?" he asked as he studied Spencer's torn gold and grey uniform.

"Cadet Spencer Bly, former SPD Gold, Sir," Spencer told him as he fixed his glasses. "SPD was taken out in one of the first waves," he reported.

"And the other bases?" Colonel Truman asked him.

"Cut off Sir. When Venjix infiltrated our systems, we severed ties to the other bases to keep Venjix on Earth," Spencer explained softly, looking around as more blasts filled the air.

"And the SPD Ranger Program?" the Colonel questioned. Spencer sighed, shaking his head.

"Sir, Venjix dismantled it and severed our connection to the Morphing Grid Sir. To prevent him from accessing the Morphing Grid, we deleted the program, Sir," Spencer's hand found his morpher, which was now almost completely useless, serving only as a way to communicate the other SPD Rangers and imprison criminals.

"This way!" both looked up as they saw a military van pull up nearby, and the driver got out to help everyone out. A girl with black hair tied back in a ponytail was hanging on to the end, scorched and bruised. Her green jacket had been discarded, and her white t-shirt was covered in rips.

"Teddie!" Spencer yelled, taking off towards the girl as she leapt at the robots that had been chasing the van. She grabbed one lunging for the back of the van, and the people inside screamed in terror.

"Spencer!" Teddie called to her brother as she smashed the robot to the ground. Spencer threw a ball of energy that hit it, exploding on contact and revealing the wiring. Teddie stomped down, smashing through the circuitry. The two worked together, stopping the robots and allowing the people in the back of the van to escape.

"Are you nuts?" Spencer rounded on Teddie as soon as they were clear. "Why the hell did you run off?" he demanded, and Teddie's expression took on a stubborn look that ran in their family.

"Because people needed help, Spencer. I might not be a Ranger any more, but-"

"I know," Spencer sighed, pulling her into a hug. "But try not to be _so_ reckless, please?" he asked her, and she nodded. "Get to the city," he told her, pushing her towards the dome.

"But-"

"I'll be fine, what's left of SPD are helping the military," he told her.

"But I can-"

"Not without raising questions Ted, go," Spencer told her. With a frown, Teddie took off.

"Who was that?" Spencer looked around as Colonel Truman approached him again.

"My younger sister, sir," Spencer gave a small sigh.

"I hear she was the one who saved the people in that van," the Colonel said, and Spencer gave a small shrug.

"Being a hero runs in the family," he told the man, who nodded slowly.

"I see. Thank you, Bly," he left to give more orders to the men rushing over, and Spencer took in a deep breath.

"So, I hear you threatened to break _Commander_ Tate's nose," he looked around at the pretty blonde that walked over and stood beside him. Instead of her usual silver and grey SPD uniform, she wore crimson and black ninja gear that placed her with the Thunder Ninja Academy.

"You know Annie," Spencer's voice was light as he looked away from his best friend and partner. "Even now you sound way too sarcastic when you refer to Sky as the Commander," he told her, and tossed an energy-ball at a half broken Grinder.

"Hey, I'm not the one who threatened to break his nose," Annie shrugged as she blasted another one.

"You know, you guys could sound a bit less, you know, nonchalant about the world ending?" Bridge suggested as he took out another one.

"Like you can talk," the pair spoke simultaneously, before both attacked the same Grinder.

"I've known you guys for years now and that still freaks me out," Z shuddered as she met up with them.

"How do you think I feel? I'm married to one of them," Bridge complained, pointing at Annie.

"Why did you feel the need to point?" Annie questioned as she moved over to him, taking out another one. "I mean, it's not like everyone thinks you're married to the tree there," she gestured to Spencer, who rolled his eyes.

"Well, it would make a bit more sense than the tech geek and the trigger-happy psycho," Sky muttered as he moved past them, and a blast narrowly missed his ear.

"Whoops, thought you were one of those robots. You can see why I got confused," Annie deadpanned as Sky turned to glare at her.

"Guys, can you leave the fighting till after we get everyone inside?" Syd complained as she reached them. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't put holes in my boyfriend Annie," the former Pink Ranger frowned at Annie, who just rolled her eyes.

"Fall back!" they looked around as they heard Colonel Truman's yell. "Everyone into the city now!" he ordered as air drones hurtled towards them.

"You heard the man!" Sky barked, blasting another Grinder before they hurried off, running inside.

"Spencer!" the now former Ranger looked around at Kendall's call, and jogged over to her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you're safe," he murmured as the scientist clung to him. "Did everyone make it?" Spencer asked, loosening his grasp on her to glance at his family. They stood nearby, all of them filthy and exhausted from the journey to Corinth.

"Still looking," Chase replied as Olivia fussed over Nerida. The dog was entirely baffled and confused as to what was going on, and just as tired as everyone else.

"Jeremy hasn't found Cassie," Teddie spoke softly, tears in her eyes as Heckyl checked the burn on Teddie's arm, having stopped chastising her for running off.

"Nora vanished too," they looked to Ari, who was staring at her phone with a helpless expression. "She wasn't in the magical realm when..." she trailed off, and hurled the phone away. Xander pulled her close, looking just as helpless. His Mystic Morpher was a charred mess, sitting uselessly by his side.

"Damn," Spencer sighed, following Teddie's gaze to where Jeremy was standing with his family. He was arguing with Jenna, determined to continue searching for his missing girlfriend. He didn't get a choice, however, as gates all began to close, and the shields began to cover the domed city.

' _Activating shield. Loading bio-dome control-climate environment_ ,' a voice echoed over the city. The shields flickered, and took on an illusion of a normal sky, making the city seem much larger than it really was.

"Well...now what?" Teddie wondered.

* * *

A year had passed and everyone had grown accustomed to the idea that they would be remaining in the domed city for a long time. A few of Venjix's forces had managed to find ways past the shield, but no force too great. To protect the city, a mysterious person known only as Dr K had contacted the military, and recruited a team of four to participate in the new Project Ranger.

Their base, known to most as The Garage, was located not far from the military district. Inside, the young woman who had risked her life to save a van of civilians coming from San Angeles sat cross-legged on the cold, hard floor, listening to music as she worked on the engine of a bike.

"You've not done a bad job on that, lass," Teddie looked up, a streak of oil across her cheek, as Flynn crouched beside her, peering at her work. The Scottish mechanic, who'd driven a bus full of civilians to safety, studied the engine that Teddie had been rebuilding for the last few months.

"I have good teachers," Teddie smiled back at him, switching off her music.

"So it seems," he nodded.

"What's up anyway Flynn?" Teddie asked the Scotsman, who was admiring her work, impressed that she had done so much to it.

"Training in five minutes," he told her, and Teddie checked her watch.

"So it is," she stood, and stretched. "I'll go clean up," she jogged up the stairs and disappeared into the bathroom she shared with Summer. Washing her hands and managing to get the oil off her face, Teddie surveyed her reflection in the mirror. Her black hair was now cut to just above her shoulders, left loose and messy, curling out a little. Out of habit, she scratched just below her collarbone, directly over her heart, where the clawed scars lay hidden under her white t-shirt.

It had been a year since the world had ended. Somehow, it felt longer, and shorter, at the same time. Teddie's hand trailed along her chest, touching where a necklace lay, but as opposed to the necklace she had worn before, it was a lot lighter and offered a little less comfort. It was a pretty white gemstone, not unlike the White Energem she had carried until a few years ago, except for that it lacked the warm glow of the Energem.

Teddie took a deep breath, putting those thoughts out of her mind before they got to her. She shook her head, and left the bathroom, grabbing her jacket from her room before heading back downstairs and into the lab.

"Just on time Teddie," Scott commented, checking his watch as he walked in.

"But not late, so not breaking your rules, Commander," Teddie saluted, and the tall young man rolled his eyes, unable to find himself annoyed with her. Despite his military background that showed even in the way he held himself, Teddie's relaxed and playful attitude won him over.

"Just get ready, would you?" he sighed, walking over to the pretty blonde girl that made up the last of their team.

"Yes sir," Scott rolled his eyes at her teasing, and the four started to train.

* * *

The silence of the Waste was almost deafening, with any small sounds muffled by the sand that covered the area. It was eerie, but by this point, she was used to it.

The girl was sitting perched on what had once been a car, before Venjix's attack had destroyed it. She wore a pair of goggles to shield herself from the sun, which had long since been casting a brownish haze over the sky thanks to the destruction, and a black hooded cape and jeans hid her appearance.

With a sigh, she checked her watch, and shook her head.

"Five minutes my ass. Where the hell did you go?" she muttered, her voice soft but irritable. She jumped off the scrap metal and stretched, before heading in the direction her companion had gone. She followed his footsteps, rolling her eyes at his obvious tracks and inability to be remotely careful in the Waste.

Hearing a yelp of fear, her eyes narrowed and she darted in the direction of the noise. She saw her companion stumbling away from a taller figure, wearing a leather jacket and an angry scowl. "Leave him alone!" she shouted, leaping through the air. The figure reacted faster than she expected, grabbing her punch.

The lanky boy yelped, stumbling back and falling into the sand as his attacker shoved the girl back. She was forced back several steps, but remained on her feet.

"Great, you have a bodyguard," the young man grunted.

"I'm not his bodyguard," she bit back, and her hand went to her side. Her opponent's eyes widened as she drew a sword that had been hidden. "But I do need him alive," she told him.

"Trust me, you don't want to do this," the boy warned her. His entire body was tense, and his dark eyes were on her sword, which was in surprisingly good condition for something in the Waste.

"No, no, she doesn't," the other boy scrambled to his feet and grabbed her arm. "She doesn't want to," he insisted, and she turned to him sharply.

"I get that you're a coward, but come on," she shoved him off her. "He was going to hurt you. Do you really have that _little_ self-preservation?" she demanded. He looked away, embarrassed.

"I hate to interrupt, but _he_ was trying to rob _me_ ," she turned back to the stranger quickly. "Emphasis on 'trying'," he added with a snort. The girl was quiet for a moment, before whirling around. Her companion yelped, despite her face being hidden.

" _Really_? I leave you alone for _five_ minutes and you try to steal from a guy who looks like he could rip your head from your shoulders?!" she demanded furiously.

"I-I-I-"

"Well, as interesting as all this is, I'm out," the two looked at the stranger, who walked back over to the beaten black car that he owned.

"Whoa – whoa where are you going? You can't leave us out here!" the girl frowned as her companion pleaded with him. The taller boy turned with a frown, about to tell him to shove off, when the radio transmission reached them. "Corinth?" he asked with a smile suddenly. "You're looking for Corinth City?" he realised. The stranger was silent. "Am I right?" he pressed. "Yeah, sure, I mean, the radiation makes the compass go all screwy, and messes with the radio frequencies too. Very hard to find your way," he continued on.

The girl sighed, knowing exactly where he was going with this. "Fortunately for you, we're already headed that direction," he jabbed a thumb at himself, and the boy frowned.

" _If_ you knew were Corinth City was, you'd be there," he turned and went for the car.

"I was, I just came from there, I'm just showing her were to go! I'm serious, see?" he held out a card that the boy snatched from him to examine. Sure enough, it read him as a Corinth citizen.

"Ziggy?" he snorted. "Your name. Is _Ziggy_?" the boy blushed at the taunting.

"Yep, that's me," Ziggy nodded, not seeming to mind the mockery.

"So what are you doing out here _Ziggy_?" the boy asked as he tossed the ID back.

"Ha, you know, that's a long story, I'd be happy to tell you the whole thing on the way," the stranger and the girl both looked at him, and he visibly wilted. "Or maybe I could just get in and keep my mouth shut," he suggested.

"Yeah. The second one," the boy told him.

"Good luck with that. I've been trying to get him to shut up since I met him," the girl snorted, climbing into the back. Ziggy sighed as the other boy started to drive.

* * *

The three drove in silence for a few hours, reaching a barren forest. The girl in the back straightened up as she looked out, not speaking, but her breathing was uneven as she struggled to keep calm.

"So, you still haven't told me your name yet," Ziggy broke the silence.

"I dunno," the driver told him

"You don't know if you want to tell me your name?" Ziggy frowned, confused.

"I don't know my name," he shrugged.

"Well, where are you from? I mean, who are you, then?" Ziggy pressed him.

"I don't know," the boy growled.

"Ziggy, just leave him alone," the girl sighed in the back.

"What? I'm just saying, if we're gonna be working together, we're going to need to work on our communication-oh, wait wait wait!" Ziggy yelped suddenly, and the boy slammed his foot on the brakes. "See? Ziggy promises, Ziggy delivers," he gave a smug smile as both looked out.

"Corinth..." the girl murmured.

"Now, we probably want to pull off the road here and just wait till dark-"

"We can't stop," the driver said abruptly.

" _What_?" Ziggy demanded.

"We're running on fumes. If I kill the engine now, I may not be able to start it again," he explained, and Ziggy immediately shook his head.

"No, no. No, this is a joke, _right_? Y-you're not serious," Ziggy gave a nervous laugh. The young man didn't respond, instead taking off quickly, and Ziggy jolted back as the force pushed him back against his seat. "Okay stop, time out, look, we need a reality check!" Ziggy pleaded with him. "All right, let me spell this out for you. _Nobody_ has ever made it through the Venjix Barricade during daylight. Understand? No-one!" Ziggy said as the boy continued to drive.

"Well, I'm about as close to no-one as you're ever gonna meet," he told the terrified boy with a wry smile. The girl snorted in the back, her arms folded.

"You know what? You can uh, you can drop me off anywhere along here. Or here. Or here-there! Aw, that spot would have been really good..." Ziggy sighed, hanging out the window. His eyes then widened. "It's a perimeter patrol," he gulped, and they looked around to see two Grinders on bikes racing towards them.

"Great," the girl sighed.

"Hand me that," the boy growled.

"What? This?!" Ziggy grabbed a wrench. The boy shook his head. "This? Can you be more specific? This? You mean this?" he tried a bunch of different tools, before sighing. "You do _not_ mean this," he held up a lollipop. The driver grabbed it and stuck it in his mouth.

"Interesting vice for the brooding bad boy," the girl commented from the back.

"You could sound more scared!" Ziggy shouted at her, his voice rising in pitch. "We're running the Venjix Barricade in broad daylight, with _Willy Wonka_ at the wheel!" he snapped. The girl didn't respond, opening the window and peering out. The driver grabbed a small device and activated it so it started to beep, and stuck the lollipop to it, before throwing it out the window. It stuck to one of the bikes, and blew up, taking the two Grinders out.

"Nice shot," the girl commented lightly.

"Remind me to uh, never get on your bad side," Ziggy gulped as the boy laughed.

"Trust me, you're already there," he smirked.

"Okay, close call, but I think we've got enough time to uh, to turn around and back up before we hit the – the Venjix Barricade!" Ziggy shrieked as he looked ahead to see machines rising from the sand. The car didn't slow, and more Grinders appeared, firing shots at them. The car swerved, taking damage as the girl sighed.

"Okay, I'll help," she decided, leaning out the window. The Grinders they passed were hit by a blast of red energy, that caused them to explode.

"You have another weapon?" the driver asked her.

"You think I survived so long in the Waste without more weapons?" she replied, still looking out. The boy smirked, and tossed another bomb out. The rest of the Grinders exploded, and the car continued on.

* * *

Sipping his coffee and adjusting his glasses, Spencer, who was now a Corporal and one of Colonel Truman's right hand men alongside Andrew Hicks, stood at a computer as he studied the shield strength.

"Late night?" Hicks stood beside him, speaking quietly to his friend.

"Offered to babysit for Annie and Bridge. Kiana was up half the night, meaning I was too," Spencer let out a wide yawn, and ran a hand through his hair as the man beside him laughed quietly. "The kid's as much a terror as Annie," he complained.

"I wouldn't call Carson a terror," Hicks shook his head, and Spencer glanced to him with a raised eyebrow. "Terrifying, though, absolutely," he elaborated, and Spencer couldn't help but grin.

"I don't see it," Hicks looked sharply at Bridge, who had appeared on his other side.

"That's because she's nice to you," Spencer told him with a roll of his eyes, sparing Hicks the worry that he had spoken out of line.

"She is?" Bridge asked innocently, tilting his head.

"Dude, don't even," Spencer laughed, shaking his head. Bridge just grinned at him, and the former Gold Ranger looked down at the screen in front of him. His easy smile faded, and his brow furrowed. "Is that...?" he looked to Bridge and Hicks, who glanced down.

"I'll alert the Commander," Hicks rushed over to tell Colonel Truman as Spencer stared at it.

"Talk to me Bly," the Colonel instructed as he walked over.

"Single vehicle doing probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen, and I once witnessed a man sniff a dog as part of an investigation," Spencer quickly cleared his throat as Colonel Truman frowned and Hicks stared at him. Bridge just grinned, unashamed. "It's driving right through the Venjix barricade," he elaborated quickly. "It's definitely human...wait..." Spencer frowned.

"Well? What is it?" Colonel Truman demanded.

"It's weird...I'd almost say it's broken, if I didn't know who helped build these systems. It's reading two and a half bio signatures," Spencer looked up as his glasses slid down his nose.

"Alert Doctor K," Colonel Truman instructed Hicks, and immediately one of the computer screens flashed, and turned white with a large K on it.

* * *

"I never learned to play a musical instrument," Ziggy was listing of everything he'd never done, having accepted his fate as the other two continued to fight. "Always wanted to, you know? Who-who knows? I could have been the greatest clarinet player in the world," he considered.

"Dude, shut up!" the girl snapped as her hood fell down from the wind, revealing her long black hair tied back in a bow, with freckles dusting her face. "We're _trying_ to survive here," she growled.

"Hand me more thermix chargers," the boy shouted, and Ziggy spat out the lollipop he'd been eating. He grabbed one quickly, and it began to beep, making them pause.

"That's not good...is it?" Ziggy wondered. The driver swerved suddenly, and the bomb fell into the back. "And that's gotta be worse," he gulped. The girl whirled around to grab it, but it fell under the seat and she dove to grab it.

"Call me Dillon," both looked up in in surprise.

"What?"

"My name. You can call me 'Dillon'," he allowed with a heavy sigh.

"It's been nice knowing you Dillon," Ziggy smiled at him as they reached the barricade.

"So much for being the positive one," the girl sighed, grabbing the bomb and hurling it out the window. It clanked loudly against the metal of one of the machines about to blow them up, and exploded, clearing the way to the city. "You're welcome," she sighed, slumping down as if exhausted.

They kept driving, speeding towards the gate, as both Dillon and Ziggy laughed lightly.

* * *

"They made it!" Hicks cried out in shock.

"How the hell did they manage that?" Spencer questioned. "Either they're really lucky, or there's something more at play here," he looked up at his friend as the Colonel walked over to the computer.

"Doctor K-"

" _Lower the shield, and open the gate please, Colonel_ ," Doctor K requested. The group looked around at the white computer screen.

"There's going to be infiltration before we can power the shield back up," the man warned the Doctor, frowning.

" _Understood. My team is on the way_ ," the Doctor told him, and after hesitating, the Colonel nodded to the two watching and waiting for an order.

* * *

"Sorry Flynn, I got a little carried away," Teddie apologised as she handed the Scottish man an ice pack that he pressed to his shoulder.

"That's putting it lightly," Summer commented, amused.

"What? He came at me and it was just reflex," the dark haired girl defended herself, blushing.

"It was just reflex to flip me like that?" Flynn complained, but there was no real annoyance in his voice as Scott and Summer giggled nearby. "Just where did you learn to fight lass? Scott I can get, but you?" he grumbled.

"Yeah, and I make sense," Scott grinned. "Aren't you like, a singer or something?" he teased her.

"A singer who can give you a run for your money, Truman," Teddie warned him. His eyes flashed at the idea of her challenge. Before he could accept it, he alarm blared loudly overhead, and they looked up in surprise.

" _Rangers, you are needed at the Southern Gate_ ," Doctor K told them quickly, and they sighed, getting to their feet.

"No rest for the wicked," Teddie shrugged, grabbing her helmet and going to her bike. She pulled the helmet on and kicked the bike to life as Summer did the same, and Scott and Flynn started the engines of their cars, and the four sped out of the Garage.

* * *

At the south gate, Grinders, accompanied by a much more powerful robot, strode in, taking advantage of the open gate the moment the shield had been lowered.

The three in the car, all filthy and exhausted, looked around as the robots approached them. Dillon and the girl scowled, and Ziggy gulped, looking terrified as the robots approached them.

Their eyes widened and the scowl was wiped from Dillon's face as a boot collided with the face of the Attackbot. The force made it teeter backwards, stumbling and falling into the Grinders that surrounded it. The owner of the boot bounced off and flipped through the air, landing in front of the car.

"I don't think so," Teddie grinned confidently, and Scott, Flynn and Summer ran to stand with her.

"No way..." the girl whispered, her hands going to her mouth.

"Nice landing," Flynn nodded to her. Teddie winked back. The four grabbed small devices which, other than Teddies, had been hanging from around their necks.

"Ready?" Scott called as he, Summer and Flynn lifted an almost phone-like device, and Teddie raised her arm, where hers was attached to her arm with a small lever.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!"

The four Morphed into Red, Blue, Yellow and White suits, and their helmets flashed as the Attackbot stood, roaring. The Rangers sprinted forwards to fight off the robots.

Teddie moved around the attacks that came her way with elegance in an almost dance-like style, but carried force behind it as she kicked one of the Grinders into the rest, knocking them all down. When they blasted at her, she leapt into the air and over the attacks, landing behind them and attacking with well aimed punches and kicks.

Seeing the Attackbot turn it's attention to the car, Summer leapt over, landing on the bonnet and kicking it back. Teddie landed behind the robot, kicking it up so Summer's next attack could throw it back. Pushing itself up, the Attackbot turned and sprinted off.

"You okay?" Scott and Flynn ran over.

"Yeah!" Summer smiled.

"Of course," Teddie nodded. The four then turned and ran after the Attackbot, who skidded to a stop as it came to a dead end. Cornering it, the four called on their individual weapons.

"Street Sabre!" Scott held a long sword in front of him.

"Turbo Cannon!" Flynn balanced a massive blaster over his shoulder.

"Zip Charger!" Summer aimed a small bear like blaster at the Attackbot.

"Rocket Hammer!" Teddie spun her massive hammer. They then ran at the Attackbot as it shot at them, missing them and exploding behind them. "Today is gonna be a long day," Teddie muttered under her breath as they made to take out the Attackbot.

Explosions once again filled the air as the Attackbot that the four RPM Rangers were fighting against.

"Street Sabre Strike!" Scott was first to attack, moving too fast for the robot to react.

"Turbo Cannon! Fire!" Flynn then fired several shots from his blaster, knocking the Attackbot to the ground. Their audience stared in amazement at how they dominated the battle.

"Zip Charger Activate!" Summer sent a tiny version of her Bear Zord at the Attackbot, which darted through the air and struck it several times.

"Rocket Hammer Slam Attack!" Teddie then leapt into the air, slamming the powerful hammer into the robot. It flew back, smashing through some crates, and they ran after him.

"There he is!"

"I see him!"

"Quick, combine weapons!" Scott instructed. Their helmets flashed as the four combined their weapons to make a huge blaster that had to be supported by all four of them. "Road Blaster! Engine Cell, Activate!" Scott inserted the disk and aimed. "Target locked! Fire!" a blast that was shaped like Scott's Zord slammed into him, and the robot went flying into the distance. "Direct hit!" they cheered.

* * *

"Let's move it people!" Colonel Truman barked as the small group rushed around. "We need those shields back up!" he told them as they all worked as quickly as possible.

"Contact Alpha, multiple targets approaching from south-south-west," Vasquez spoke up from where she monitored outside of the dome. "Contact Beta, more targets, from the north-east," she frowned.

"Venjix drones Sir," Hicks spoke up, looking at their commander.

"Too many to count," Spencer muttered as he stood on Vasquez' other side. "They're all over the place Sir," he looked up at the frowning man.

"This is not good. Even for the Rangers..." Bridge muttered, glancing to Spencer. They hadn't seen that many attack drones in a year. Venjix was attempting to take Corinth down once and for all.

* * *

" _Rangers, this is Doctor K_ ," the Rangers put a hand to their helmets. " _Do you have a visual on the oncoming targets_?" the Doctor asked.

"Uh, that's affirmative," Scott nodded.

"They'd be a bit hard to miss," Flynn gulped.

"That's a lot of bad guys," Teddie had her hands to her helmet. They'd never encountered so many at once. The drones flew through the city, destroying buildings and attacking civilians.

" _Rangers, I'm downloading the Zord Attack Vehicles to you. Stand by_ ," Doctor K spoke up again.

"Hit us Doc!" Scott, Summer and Flynn lifted their morphers and flipped them open, pressing the button to call on their Zords, as Teddie activated her own.

"Activating Eagle Zord!"

"Activating Lion Hauler!"

"Activating Bear Crawler!"

"Activating Swan Jet!"

The four leapt into their Zords and connected their morphers to them, and took off. They shot towards the attacking drones, easily avoiding their attacks.

"They're all over the place!" Teddie groaned as she swerved to avoid another attack."And they're far too persistent!" she spun through the air and blasted the ones following her. "Summer, they've got a lock on you!" the White Ranger yelled as she saw the large weapon pointing at the Bear Crawler.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Summer growled, swerving again as she attempted to get away from it. A car slammed into the weapon just as it activated, and it took out a large swarm of the flying drones.

"Grinders are neutralised! Enemy Attack Point Alpha is contained!" Scott announced.

"Thank you, whoever you are!" Summer called down to the driver of the car, smiling under her helmet.

* * *

"Excellent!" Colonel Truman nodded his approval as signs of Venjix drones slowly disappeared from the city. Hicks, Vasquez, Bridge and Spencer all breathed out, relieved that the Yellow Ranger was unharmed.

"You two, with me," Hicks nodded to two of the soldiers, and they, plus Spencer, hurried down to find out just why the human signatures only read one and a half.

* * *

The Rangers continued to take out the robots that swarmed the city, changing to the Beta site.

"We've still got bandits coming in from the north!" Flynn called as he drove through the city.

"Not for long!" Summer called as she cut through them. Teddie cheered as she flew through the air, passing Summer's Crawler as it launched into the air, and shot down more of the drones.

"Enemy bandits retreating on all fronts!" Scott spoke up as he shot down those that Teddie missed.

" _City shield restored to full power. Sealing all city gates_ ," the announcement echoed down as the fake sky reappeared. A few moments later, the Attackbot that they had faced before reappeared, growing much larger.

"Oh, this ain't over yet!" Flynn gulped.

"Shocking," Teddie rolled her eyes as she leaned forwards on her console.

"Rangers! Form High Octane Megazord!" Scott instructed. They all hit a lever, and Scott, Flynn and Summer's Zords combined. They skidded across the ground, and the robot let out a loud roar.

"Attack sequence mustang!" Summer yelled as the Megazord began moving towards their enemy.

"Roger that!" Scott nodded.

"I love Attack Sequence Mustang!" Teddie laughed as she flew over the Megazord's head. They easily blocked each of the robot's attacks, before calling on a shield that blocked the toxic fumes. Teddie flew back in, blasting the Attackbot from behind.

"Let's finish it!" Flynn yelled, and the others all voiced their agreements. They grabbed the robot and blocked its pipe, before they shoved it back as the pipe began to swell. The Rangers called on their Super Sabre, and held it up, ready to attack. They shot at the robot, and finished it off with one final blow. The robot collapsed, and exploded, destroyed.

"I want to go meet those three," Summer decided, leaping down from the Megazord.

"Oh, me too!" Teddie followed her down, and the two demorphed. The two young men looked at them, one curious and the other wary. "Hey," the White Ranger smiled at them.

"I don't know how to thank you," Summer commented, looking at the taller of the two.

"You can start with some gas, maybe some water, I'll be on my way," Dillon told her with a brief shrug. Teddie's attention was then drawn to the girl as she emerged from behind them, pulling down the goggles to reveal her dark eyes. Teddie's eyes widened.

"N-Nora?" she stammered, taking a step back.

"Hey Teddie," Nora Russell smiled back at her, unable to stop the tears in her eyes.

* * *

 **This chapter started out wildly different. Nora wasn't meant to show up for a few chapters but I decided I liked this introduction better.**

 **I hope you liked it! I'll aim to update as soon as I can!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	2. Fade To Black

**Thanks for all your responses so far, I'm glad you liked the first chapter!  
**

* * *

Chapter 2: Fade To Black

"You're alive!" Dillon, Ziggy and Summer watched, surprised, as the White RPM Ranger threw herself at Nora, hugging her tightly. The girl was surprised and tensed a little at the sudden contact, before hugging her back, burying her face in Teddie's shoulder.

"So are you...and a Power Ranger too!" Nora lifted her head, and the two stepped apart. "Guess you still have that hero complex," she teased, and Teddie went red, wiping away her tears.

"You're still not funny," she grumbled.

"You know her, Teddie?" the Yellow Ranger asked her curiously. Teddie nodded.

"Since we were little," she confirmed as the military pulled up. Hicks caught Dillon, who immediately shrugged him off.

"Look, I'm not staying!" he argued, seeing to grow even more cautious. Ziggy tried to vouch for him as Spencer glanced to Hicks, and lifted a small device from his side. Immediately the device started to beep loudly.

"Infiltrator," Spencer tossed the device to one of the soldiers. "Venjix hardware, Generation 7 at least. You're a dangerous fellow," he commented, and three soldiers rushed in to restrain him. Spencer then turned, and reacted just as Teddie did. " _Nora_?" he gasped, and she smiled.

"Things really never change Spencer. Still a cop," she taunted him.

"And you're still a brat," Spencer laughed, not bothered as he hugged her.

"Bly," Hicks cleared his throat as he walked over, having arrested both Dillon and Ziggy. "She accompanied an infiltrator, we need to take her in," he pointed out.

"I..." Spencer hesitated, before sighing. "You're right. I'm sorry Nora," he told her, and she shrugged.

"Whatever," she followed them.

"Wait!" Teddie protested.

"I'm sorry Teddie, it's procedure," Spencer told her, glancing back with an apologetic look. Summer put a hand on her shoulder as Nora and the others were taken away.

"He's got Venjix hardware?" Teddie wondered aloud as Scott and Flynn reached them. "That's...scary," she murmured, a little worried as she watched Dillon. She then tilted her head, frowning as she noticed something, before glancing to the others. Summer watched as they drove off, just as curious.

"You alright, Teddie?" Flynn asked her, seeing the White Ranger's expression.

"I'll meet you back at the garage," Teddie ran off before they could stop her.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting under the tree, but it didn't matter. Teddie sat with her back pressed to the trunk, her legs pulled in close as she enjoyed the feeling of the earth; a rare thing in the only city left on Earth.

Teddie knew she should return to the Garage to help analyse the fight that had taken place, but she needed time away from the others.

"Nora..." she murmured, smiling softly.

"It's always forests with you," Teddie's smile grew as she looked up at the man approaching. His unassuming appearance was as deceptive as how young he looked, with a streak of bright blue cut through his hair.

"Hey. How'd you find me?" the White Ranger didn't move.

"Your brother said you'd be off alone and need someone," Heckyl took a seat beside her, and Teddie leaned against him. "These tracked you down," he tapped the goggles that hung from his neck, standing out against the rest of his normal attire.

"Spence sent you?" Teddie asked as he leaned his head to hers. "I thought he'd send Chase," she admitted with a giggle.

"Not sure if that should offend me," Heckyl murmured. Teddie's giggles grew, and she took his hand, linking their fingers together. "So, you're out here because...?"

"Nora's alive," Teddie's words took him by surprise. He remembered the Fire Witch who spent a lot of time at Rootcore when he and Teddie where there. "She showed up in the city with two guys, but one..." Teddie's smile faded. "He has Venjix hardware, so they took all three in. I can't believe she's okay. When mum said that Nick couldn't find her...I thought she was dead," she confessed quietly.

"I know that tone, Teddie," Heckyl lifted his head and frowned at her. "You aren't responsible. You did what you could," he told her. Teddie was quiet, before eventually looking up. "You Rangers are ridiculous for blaming yourselves," he complained. Teddie's eyebrow rose.

"Sure. Like _you_ ," Teddie poked his nose. "Weren't the same," she pointed out.

"Yes, but _you_ ," he poked her back and Teddie couldn't stop her smile. "Told me that it wasn't my fault. So don't be a hypocrite," Heckyl told her. She was quiet for another moment, before her smile grew.

"You have a crazy talent of being nice and looking bored," she told him, and his frown grew. "Thanks Heckyl," Teddie said before he could question it. He just shrugged and looked away, his face warming. Teddie giggled. "I wasn't out here moping. I was really happy to see Nora. But seeing her, it made me miss the magical realm. I just needed some trees," she shrugged.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to you," Heckyl told her, but there was a small smile on his face and Teddie laughed.

"Don't lie, jerk," she told him, and he pulled her close, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. She followed him, and deepened the kiss, moving in his grasp as he let her hand go to keep her close. For a moment, they were able to stay like that. Then a loud beeping noise broke the moment. Teddie pulled away with an irritated sigh.

"What's up?" she pressed a button on her Morpher and opened the communication link.

" _Ranger Series White, I am not sure why you left the team, but you are needed back at the Garage_ ," Doctor K told her. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"On my way," she replied, cutting off the link before the Doctor could reply.

"He sounds like a cheery fellow," Heckyl commented, and Teddie giggled.

"As cheery as Ms. Morgan when we call her Kendall," she told him, and reluctantly got to her feet, pulling him up with her. "I better get back to the base and help out. Thanks, Heckyl," Teddie took his hands.

"You need to stop saying that. I'm not-" Heckyl was cut off by her kiss.

"Shut up," Teddie whispered, drawing back with a roll of her eyes. "You're a good guy now, remember? Act like it," she teased, and he sighed, watching as she jogged off.

* * *

"We got lucky out there," Teddie commented, sitting on the roof of Flynn's jeep, leaning over to watch as Summer scanned the wreckage in the back that they had brought with them to the base. "If that dude hadn't helped you..."

"I know," Summer spoke softly.

"Did you notice?" Teddie pressed, watching the Yellow Ranger.

"That he didn't fight them when he was found out?" Summer looked up to meet her dark eyes. "Yeah. There's something about him," she commented quietly.

"What are you ladies gossiping about?" Flynn leaned on the side of the jeep, and Summer looked back at the machine, scanning it.

"Talking about you, not to you, Flynn," Teddie told him with a pleasant smile.

"Oh, where do you get that sass?" Flynn laughed at her. Teddie winked at him.

"You give as good as you get," she told him, unapologetic as the Blue Ranger couldn't help but laugh at her. Shaking his head at their easy attitudes, Scott turned around.

"What are we looking at here Doc?" Scott ignored the pair and looked around at the computer screen.

" _Something different. Radically advanced. Venjix technology is now evolving at an exponential rate_ ," Doctor K explained as the screen brought up images of their Megazord and Teddie's Zord, as well as two other Zords. " _If we don't upgrade the fire-power in our Zord configurations, Venjix will overrun the city within a month_ ," all four breathed out heavily, horrified.

"We're gonna have to activate Series Black. There's no way around it!" Flynn pointed out.

"Yes, but we don't _have_ an operator that can handle the Series Black bio-hardware," Scott shook his head as he turned to the Scottish mechanic. "Where are we supposed to find one now?" he asked, frowning at the Blue Ranger. He walked off, and with a sigh, Flynn followed.

"I think we both know where we can find one," Teddie whispered to Summer, winking at the blonde before jumping off the jeep and walking off. Summer watched her go, looking surprised.

* * *

Bridge smiled as he took a seat opposite Nora.

"So, you're Nora Russell, one of Spencer's friends, right?" he asked her, and she nodded. "Nick and Madison Russell's daughter?" Nora gave another nod.

"You've read about my parents," she guessed.

"I read up on all the Ranger files. It was fascinating," Bridge smiled brightly at her. "Anyway, You're clean for Venjix hardware so you'll be out in no time. I just need to ask you some questions," he told her.

"Go for it," the dark haired girl nodded.

* * *

Spencer stood with Colonel Truman as he spoke with the young man who had Venjix implants running through his body. He was scowling at the indifferent looking boy, who looked younger than the former Ranger.

"So you're aware that you have robotic technology throughout your body?" the Colonel took a seat, setting down his coffee. "But you have no idea how it got there," he summed up.

"That's right," the boy spoke, not looking up from the table as he leaned back in his chair, looking bored.

"And you don't know your own name," Colonel Truman added. "Where you're from."

"That's right," the boy responded, still not looking up.

"So what exactly _do_ you remember?" Colonel Truman asked as he leaned forwards.

"That I need some gas," the boy finally looked up.

"So we can also assume that these robotic upgrades provide you with enhanced physical abilities," Colonel Truman lifted the x-ray that showed the boy's robotic insides. "Extra strength. Improved-" before he could finish, he knocked over his coffee, and the boy moved forwards, easily catching it. With an arrogant smirk, the boy held it out to him.

"Sir...I'm going to mark that down as a definite...yes," Hicks spoke slowly, amazed by it. Colonel Truman couldn't help but laugh.

"You can see my problem here," Colonel Truman got back to his feet. "I mean how am I supposed to know if you're a human that's part machine? Or a machine that's part human?" he leaned on the table.

"Maybe you should flip a coin?" the boy shrugged, his hands behind his head.

"You know, when it comes down to it, you can side with us, or you can side with them," the Colonel told him.

"I side with myself. Everytime," the boy responded, before stiffening as music filled the air. He looked sharply over at Spencer, who was holding a now open pocket watch.

"This was the only thing on you when we arrested you. Other than a copious amount of sweets that puts my sister to shame," Spencer spoke lightly, looking up from the watch to the now scowling boy. "It's old, but other than the natural wear and tear that would come from a really old watch and a little from overuse of winding it to hear the music, it's in excellent condition," he commented.

"I didn't think they had watch appraisers in the military," the boy spoke, trying to sound casual, but there was a strain in his voice. He was getting irritated about Spencer holding his watch.

"This is important to you. You say don't remember anything, but this is important," Spencer stated, and closed the watch, abruptly ending the sad melody that filled the air.

"It's just a watch," the prisoner shrugged, but the three didn't believe him for a second.

"Colonel, can I please have a minute?" Summer's voice earned their attention. They looked around, and with a huff, the Colonel agreed, and the three left the cell.

"This is important. Use it," Spencer handed her the pocket watch, and walked off, leaving her to try and get something out of the boy.

"Landsdown wants to talk to him?" Bridge approached, looking curious.

"He was the one who saved her when the Grinders had a lock on her Zord," Spencer gave a shrug. "How'd it go with Nora?" he asked.

"Fine. I think she's keeping some of it hidden, but considering she spent a year in the waste..." Bridge gave a small shrug.

"True. Nora's tough though, and has real power," Spencer thought about it, his eyes on Dillon and Summer talking. "She'll be fine. I'm just glad she's alive. But to have come here with that guy..." Spencer trailed off, worried.

"There's something about that watch," Spencer glanced around as Bridge spoke. "Something dark, but y'know, not _too_ dark, it's super old as well, with light in that dark and-"

"Bridge," Spencer gave a small laugh. "You know you're the only one who understands your descriptions, right?" he pointed out.

"Oh. Really?" Bridge seemed surprised, as if this was new information.

"I've been telling him that for years," Sky sighed as he approached them. "How's it going with...Dillon?" he glanced past Spencer to where Summer and the prisoner were talking.

"He's as forthcoming as you," Sky shot Spencer a glare as Bridge stifled his giggle. "But I don't think he's a threat. Not yet at least. He seems to be his own person," Spencer shrugged, grinning at his own joke. "Bridge?" he glanced his former leader. Bridge looked to Sky out of habit, and the young man who had briefly been the Commander of Earth's SPD base gave a light shrug. Bridge took a breath, and pulled a glove off. He swiped his hand through the air, and his eyes focused just above the Yellow Ranger and the prisoner.

"It's weird," the Empath commented, sounding curious. "I can sort of see his aura but it's like...huh. It's like the reading on the system, it's only half there. It's harder to read than a normal person's," he commented.

"Can you read it?" Sky asked him, finding himself just as curious.

"Of course," Bridge smiled. "He's hungry. Oh, wait, that's me," he corrected as his stomach growled. Spencer and Sky rolled their eyes, but smiled in amusement. "He's tired. And cautious. He doesn't trust anyone. But there's something else," Bridge's brow furrowed a little. "He's lost," his voice was quiet, and he looked away, returning his glove to his hand.

"What do we know on the dude who came in with him?" Spencer asked softly, turning to Sky.

"He talks more than Bridge," Sky sighed, and Spencer couldn't help but laugh. Bridge tilted his head, blinking in an innocent look. "I'm waiting on a background check, but that's gonna take some time. The systems here are archaic," he complained.

"Yeah, it's hard getting used to that," Spencer agreed, sounding as tired as the others felt.

"Come on, let's get back to base," Sky sighed, and the other two nodded, following him out of the prison.

* * *

After Summer had returned from seeing the boy who called himself Dillon, the four Rangers stood together as Summer told the others her idea.

"But I mean..." Flynn frowned as they all looked up at the images of Dillon. "He's a machine now, isn't he?" he looked to the other four.

" _Technically he is a human with cybernetic modifications_ ," Doctor K spoke up.

"'Technically'?" Flynn repeated, scoffing a little. "Now, I'm just a simple mechanic, I'm no scientist, but I'm looking and seeing metal. I'm seeing bolts, and I'm seeing circuitry. Alright now if that is _not_ a machine, then I don't know what is," he commented. Summer rolled her eyes.

"There's more to him than that," Summer insisted, her eyes back on the screen.

" _Scott. You're team leader. This is your call_ ," Doctor K told the Red Ranger, whose grin faded.

"Look, Summer, I honestly hope that you know what you're doing with this. I really do," Scott then turned to Summer as she looked up at him. "Because I _cannot_ see anything impressive about this guy at all," he told her bluntly, before walking off. Flynn grinned at her, and followed their leader.

"And you?" Summer looked to Teddie, who was still studying the screen, having been quiet the whole time.

"I like him," the White Ranger spoke up, smiling brightly at Summer as she looked to the blonde. "Plus, it seems like he's the only option. Someone with cybernetic implants would definitely be able to handle the power of the Black Ranger suit," she smiled.

" _Ranger Operator Series Black_ ," Doctor K corrected.

"Same thing Doc," Teddie shrugged, and walked off to join the others for food. Summer glanced back at the screens, looking determined.

* * *

"So if we aren't going to activate Series Black," Teddie started as she set down a card on the counter. She, Scott and Flynn were playing a game to pass the time after training with their weapons. "What about Green?" she asked.

"We'll need to find someone who has the requirements for Series Green. And we know how well that worked when we last looked," Scott reminded her as he set a card down. Teddie grinned as she remembered their last search for someone who would fit. Nobody who had managed to get through the judgement of the other Rangers had lasted training. Several had thrown up during it. One had passed out. Another tried hitting on Summer and nearly got himself killed by the training simulator before Scott and Flynn had stepped in.

"Teddie's right. We're going to need _someone_ to join us," Flynn told their leader.

"I know," Scott sighed heavily.

"I still maintain that training wasn't that hard," Flynn stated as Teddie another card down. Scott lifted two with a frown.

" _The bio-hardware for Series Black and Green is a little more complicated than your own suits, except for Series White's. While Series Black requires an Operator who can handle the extreme strain of the power the suit provides, Series Green requires someone with durability, much like Series White_ ," Dr. K spoke up.

"Wait, Teddie's durable?" Scott glanced to the White Ranger.

"Hey, I'm plenty durable!" Teddie stated indignantly, making the two male Rangers start laughing. "I didn't see you guys going through my training," she grumbled, a hand going to the gem around her neck.

"Hey, we could go through that training, and I guarantee we'd get better results," Flynn smirked.

"Oh, now that I'd love to see," Teddie challenged him with a grin.

"Guys, you may want to check this out!" Summer called, and the three looked around. She was standing at the computer, grinning widely. The three walked over to her, and she brought up the footage she had been watching. They stared with wide eyes as Dillon easily fought off each prisoner that came at him in the prison he had been placed in.

"Sweet mother molasses!" Flynn exclaimed as another prisoner rolled down the spiral stairs. Teddie couldn't help but laugh, delighted at the footage of Dillon easily overwhelming prisoners of different shapes and sizes

"Impressive enough for you?" Summer smirked at Scott as she switched off the footage and turned to them. Flynn and Teddie both nodded, grinning as they looked to Scott. Their leader looked to the White and Blue Rangers for a moment, before sighing and meeting Summer's gaze.

* * *

Arriving in the prison, the four Rangers were led to where Dillon was being held. Spencer, who had been leaning against the balls, nodded to them with a small smile and opened the cell, allowing them to step inside.

"Dillon," Summer smiled at him as they walked into the cell. "This is Scott," she introduced him to Scott.

"Scott Truman, team leader," the Red Ranger introduced himself formally.

"And that's Teddie," Summer gestured to the dark eyed girl, who smiled at Dillon.

"So just how long will those actually hold you?" she asked, gesturing to the thick, heavy chains around Dillon that kept him in his chair. Dillon surveyed the girl, looking a little amused by her question as Scott nudged her.

"And this is-"

"Flynn," the Blue Ranger finished for Summer. "Just plain Flynn," the mechanic folded his arms.

"And there's someone else I'd like you to meet. The man behind all of the Ranger technology you've seen," Summer told the prisoner. Flynn opened the computer in his arms and set it down in front of Dillon as the screen lit up.

" _Greetings Dillon. My name is Doctor K_ ," the voice echoed from the computer. Dillon immediately started to laugh.

"Man. I thought I was weird," he smirked, looking up at the five. "You guys, beat me by a mile," he told the four.

"Normally people tell me that _after_ they get to know me," Teddie shrugged, looking almost delighted by his comment.

"Doctor K? That's too much. You guys are just-"

"The only chance you have of _ever_ getting out of this place," Scott smirked as he leaned on the table.

"And what do I have to do?" Dillon still looked amused. "Buy a ticket in your little freak show?" he asked, looking from one to the other.

"Not exactly," Flynn smiled at him.

"It's way cooler than that," Teddie told him brightly. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and found that she seemed to be enjoying herself, while the others still looked wary, despite his heavy restraints. The White Ranger seemed to be looking forward to his next snarky reply.

"You have to join us" Summer explained softly.

"So, what's it gonna be Dillon?" Scott asked as he straightened up, not expecting much of a straight answer. "Are you in? Or are you out?" he asked, and Dillon's smirk dropped.

"Well now, that all depends," he told them, looking serious and glancing to the soldiers on either side of him, who had blasters pointed at him. "Do I get to pick my own colour?" he asked, looking back up them with an innocent expression.

"Oh yeah, I like him," Teddie grinned.

* * *

 **This one's a little shorter. Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Rain

**Been pretty busy recently, so I've gotten _nothing_ written. But here's another chapter since it's been a while!  
**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Rain

Nora stepped out of the small women's prison that had been her temporary stay, relieved that she wasn't going to have to stay the night. She looked around, wondering who was supposed to be meeting her now. Her question was answered by the roar of a bike, and Teddie pulled up beside her, flipping up her helmet.

"Hey Nora!" she grinned.

"You're late. Some things really never change," Nora commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Including how mean you are. You ready to go? I'll show ya where you're gonna be staying, though I think a shower and sleep should be first on the tour," Teddie commented, taking in Nora's dust covered clothes and appearance.

"That sounds _so_ good," Nora sighed, and caught the helmet Teddie tossed to her. "You any better on this thing?" she grinned, and Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Just get on," she grumbled, and Nora laughed quietly, pulling the helmet on and climbing on behind her. The engine roared to life, and the two shot off, back to the garage.

* * *

It was morning by the time Dillon had been released from prison, with some reluctance from the Colonel. He had changed back into his normal clothes, and Summer and Scott led him to the Garage, to show him where he'd be living if he agreed.

"So, here we are," Scott announced as they opened the doors and walked into the garage. "Home sweet home," he smiled at the place they had been living for a year. Teddie was sitting beside her bike, working on the engine again.

"We call it the Garage," Summer told the Ranger Black candidate.

"See if you can guess why," Flynn spoke as he emerged from under his jeep, wearing his overalls.

"I'm still stumped," Teddie spoke up from beside her bike.

"Not surprising," Nora smirked, and Teddie looked up, pouting at her.

"Oh, you're here?" Dillon asked the girl, surprised to see her. She was a lot cleaner than she had been the previous day; the grime washed away to reveal a tan that had darkened from exposure in the Waste, and she was borrowing Teddie's clothes as well, wearing a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt. Nora shrugged in answer to his question.

"Seems I didn't get rid of you as quick as I wanted," she told him, and the faintest of smirks showed on his face before he noticed the red and black car near Flynn's jeep. He walked over, unable to hide his curiosity.

"Yours?" Dillon glanced to Scott.

"All 700 horses," Scott smiled proudly.

"Cute toy," Dillon looked mildly impressed. Both Flynn and Teddie stifled their giggles. Dillon knew exactly how to push Scott's buttons, and he wasn't going to hold back.

"'Cute'?" Scott repeated, both eyebrows raised. "No. _Teddie_ is cute," Teddie tilted her head, looking surprised. "This, is nothing but cool," he gestured to his car, and Dillon walked on past, not bothering to hide his smirk as Scott frowned at him.

"These are the real toys," Summer spoke up as they stood in front of the screens.

"Where _did_ all this stuff come from?" Dillon asked curiously.

" _It came from me_ ," one of the screens changed to the K as the Doctor spoke up. " _Come in and I'll show you_ ," the doors to the lab opened, and they all walked in. " _Three years before the Venjix Virus attack, I was the leader of a research team, developing exo-skeletal robotic suits to amplify human strength and speed. We were attempting to harness the human body's natural electrical output to prolong the suit's battery life, when we had a breakthrough. The discovery of a universal bio-electric field; an unseen energy grid that connects the life force of all living things,_ " Doctor K explained. Teddie sighed quietly. " _Manipulating this field allowed for unimagined advancements in technology, including these_ ," behind them, the Red, Blue, Yellow and White suits lit up as Summer glanced to Teddie curiously. " _The Ranger prototype series covert infantry bio-suits_ ," Doctor K explained as Dillon walked over. There were also Green and Black suits, which remained in the dark, sat between Summer and Teddie's suits. Another case was empty beside the six, with no sign of what it was for.

"Right," Dillon spoke dryly. "Because nothing says 'covert' like bright Red, Yellow, Blue and White spandex," he turned around, smirking a little.

" _ **That is not spandex**_!" Doctor K yelled at him.

"Doctor K can get a little defensive about his work," Summer explained as Teddie giggled and Flynn smirked.

" _The material is a self-assembling nanofibre formed with an intercellular sheet memory alloy_ ," Doctor K's robotic voice was terse.

"My mistake. Now is that machine washable, or strictly dry-clean only?" Dillon asked, not sounding too impressed. Flynn chuckled as Teddie laughed even more.

" _You've seen it in action. You know what it can do_ ," Doctor K told him.

"Yes, and it's all very impressive," Dillon just rolled his eyes. "But I don't belong here. I'm not cut out to be your Black Power dude," he shrugged.

" _Ranger Operator Series Black_ ," Doctor K corrected.

"Whatever. I'm no superhero. Besides, I got places to go," Dillon was barely listening to the Doctor at this point.

"Promises to keep," Summer added as she walked over to him, frowning.

"Something like that," Dillon replied quietly.

"Now as I seem to remember, the only place you have to is back into that cell where we found you," Flynn told him coldly as he stood beside Summer, frowning at the boy who was taller than him.

"And just how long do you think that's going to hold me, Blue-boy?" Dillon challenged, taking a step closer and glaring back at the Blue Ranger, who scowled at him.

"Guys," Scott smirked as he walked over and put his hands on Summer and Flynn's shoulders. "Forget him. This _chump_ would never make it through _basic_ testing anyways," with a small laugh, Scott walked away, and Summer followed. Flynn shot him another glare before following. Teddie giggled, and held up three fingers.

"3...2...1..."

"Testing?" Dillon was unable to hide his curiosity. Teddie and Scott exchanged smirks. "What testing?"

* * *

"The acute physical and mental skills needed to operate the Ranger bio-hardware is extremely rare," Summer explained as they began the tests.

"3-Dimensional spacial orientation," Flynn grinned as Dillon was spun around from all angles.

"Motor reaction and adaptation capabilities," Scott added in as the next wave of tests began. "Go on Teddie," he nodded to the White Ranger, who looked a little hesitant before walking out to face Dillon. He raised his eyebrow at the girl as she looked back at Scott. "It's fine," he insisted, and she turned back to Dillon, who was now looking very curious as to what this test involved. Teddie suddenly smiled.

"This is gonna be fun," Dillon frowned, and his eyes widened slightly as she rushed him. He blocked her powerful kick, surprised by her speed and power.

"What?" he couldn't stop his mutter as her eyes gleamed. She darted back, moving into a fighting stance.

"Teddie's our fastest fighter," Summer explained with a smile. Dillon glanced to her, baffled at the idea, but quickly found it was a mistake. He caught her boot as it came close to his face, and she twisted out of his grasp, throwing a punch he dodged. Teddie laughed, continuing to bombard him with attacks that kept Dillon moving. He was easily able to dodge each move, but was forced to focus more than usual.

"She's enjoying this way too much," Scott chuckled as Teddie danced around with Dillon.

"So's he," Summer realised as the frown left Dillon's face and he continued to dodge each of Teddie's attacks, enjoying the challenge.

After Scott and Dr. K had had enough, Teddie took a break, gulping down water as the tests continued. They involved earthquake tests, endurance, strength, stress tests, and everything else the group could think of. By the end, the Rangers were exhausted, and Dillon hadn't even broken a sweat.

"These scores are too high to measure!" Summer groaned as she looked over the results.

" _His bionic implants are giving him extra reflex and coordination skills_ ," Doctor K explained.

"I don't care!" Scott exclaimed furiously. "Sorry, but I just don't _trust_ this guy!" Scott told them, turning away from the screen.

"Look, I don't trust him either, but it's not like we have a whole line of other qualified candidates just stretching around the corner now, do we?" Flynn pointed out, just as irritated as the Red Ranger.

" _We have_ _ **no**_ _choice,_ " Doctor K pointed out. " _Series Black needs to go operational before the defences are breathed again_ ," the Doctor's words made them all fall silent. They knew they needed Dillon, but there was a difference between needing him and trusting him.

* * *

"Corinth City. Self-sustained, self-contained living environment," Summer spoke as the group walked through the park. "Everything's recycled. Everything is programmed," lightning flashed and thunder boomed overhead. Teddie smiled a little at the weather, feeling the storm approaching. "Even the weather," Summer added.

"I know what you're trying to do," Dillon looked straight ahead, frowning. "You're trying to show me what it is I'd be fighting to protect," he summed up.

"I'm trying to show you _why_ it's worth fighting for," Summer corrected him, keeping up with him.

"You're trying to make me care," Dillon continued to refuse to look at her.

"Look, once your DNA is bonded to the Series Black morpher, it's permanent. We'd be trusting you with all of this!" Summer exclaimed, and he huffed.

"Don't!" he finally looked at her, stopping. "You can't!" he told her.

"Why not?" Summer demanded as she stood in his way.

"I'm just not that kind of person ok?" Dillon sighed, now looking away again. "Someone trusted me to save them once, and I-"

"You're still out there looking for them!" Summer finished for him, and Dillon paused. "Even if you can't remember who they are," Dillon kept quiet as she looked up at him. "You're the kind of person I'd want saving me," she told him softly as the rain began to fall. The Rangers walked off to find shelter, and Dillon stood in the rain for a moment.

"Nora, you're gonna get sick," Teddie called to the girl who was standing in the rain, her face lifted to the sky.

"You kidding? I'd take it just for this. I'd forgotten what rain was like," Nora sighed blissfully, and Teddie smiled.

"You think he'll agree?" Scott wondered as they watched Dillon. The potential Black Ranger watched a couple of kids playing in the rain, laughing happily.

"I think he will," Teddie nodded. "He's not as much of a machine as you guys think," she turned to the Red and Blue Rangers, her hands behind her back. "His humanity is there. Buried under his brooding bad boy thing he's got going, but it's there," she said confidently. Summer smiled at her, thankful that Teddie was on her side.

"Women," Flynn rolled his eyes, and flinched when Teddie punched him.

"I'll put you on your butt Flynn, so don't be rude," she scolded him.

"Aye...sorry lass," Flynn apologised, rubbing his arm. "She hits hard," he complained quietly to Scott, who nodded, looking a little scared of the White Ranger. They looked up again as Dillon walked back over, and the rain lessened.

"So? You'll do it?" Summer asked, raising an eyebrow at the damp hybrid.

"I'll do it," he nodded, and both Summer and Teddie smiled. "On one condition," he told them.

"Oh?" Scott was grinning, amused. "You have conditions now?" he questioned.

"Just one," Dillon was smirking a little, and the Rangers wondered just what Dillon could possibly want.

* * *

"I can't believe you're doing this," Spencer sighed as he stood with the four Rangers and Dillon. "The hybrid is one thing-"

"Dillon," Teddie corrected him, frowning.

"Sorry. _Dillon_ is one thing. But this kid...really?" Spencer sighed, standing with them.

"It's Dillon's condition for joining us," Teddie shrugged, serious for once. "And mate, really, you think this dude is gonna survive in prison without Dillon? He's..." she trailed off, watching as Ziggy was escorted out, taunting the prisoners who were threatening him furiously.

"Not too well liked in here," Spencer considered.

"Hi, Ziggy Grover reporting for duty!" the boy announced, shaking Summer's hand as she looked a little startled. "I'm a huge fan!" he whispered, before moving on to Flynn, who held out his hand. "No, no, come in here for the big thing," he hugged the Blue Ranger, who wasn't sure how to react.

"I think we found someone just as weird as Teddie," Flynn commented as Scott sighed heavily.

"I'm not that weird," Teddie argued. Spencer snorted, and she glowered at him.

"Ok, so one good reason why we're bringing this guy with us?" Scott then turned to Dillon, who was still grinning, amused by Scott's irritation.

"He can make shadow puppets," he stated simply.

"Oh, that is good to have," Teddie grinned, turning to the young man. "Hey dude, Teddie Bly," she clapped her hand to his, and his smile brightened now that one of them showed genuine friendliness. Spencer shook his head in exasperation.

"And I thought my team was weird," he sighed.

* * *

Once they had returned to the Garage, the group gathered in the lab, ready for Dillon to bond with the Black morpher.

" _Series Black DNA morph bonding sequence initiated_ ," Doctor K spoke as Dillon stood in the middle of the room, the morpher on his wrist. He placed the Engine Cell inside, and the morpher lit up. A golden light surrounded him, assessing him, and the suit disappeared from its case, and surrounded Dillon. " _Series Black, online_ ," Doctor K announced as Dillon faced the others. They lifted out their own Engine Cells and activated their morphers.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the four morphed into their respective suits, and walked over to Dillon as they laughed.

"Congratulations!"

"How's it feel?" Flynn asked as he clapped Dillon on the shoulder.

"It's a little tight," Dillon complained.

"Yeah the uh..suit is a bit uncomfortable at first," Teddie laughed. They all looked around as Ziggy cheered and applauded loudly.

"That has gotta be the coolest thing I've ever seen!" he cheered through a mouthful of popcorn, having been watching the whole thing intently. "Wait!" he set it down quickly. "Hold that pose, don't move, it's perfect!" he then took a picture of the very confused Rangers. "Oh no, Yellow, your eyes were closed, let's try another one!" he told them as Flynn muttered irritably, and took another picture, this time including himself.

" _Ahem_ ," he looked around as Doctor K spoke up, not sounding happy.

"Oh I'm...I'm kind of ruining this special Ranger moment here, aren't I?" Ziggy realised, stepping back. "Maybe stepping on tradition...just a bit," he laughed weakly.

"Just a lot," Nora shook her head in exasperation, leaning against the wall.

"Totally cool, I understand. Just pretend like I'm not even here," he told them quickly, and mined zipping his mouth shut. "There is one thing I've gotta know," he spoke up about five seconds later.

"Uhuh?" Doctor K was clearly not impressed with him.

"What's with the spandex?" Ziggy's innocent question was not well received, and the five Rangers very quickly left the room. Ziggy blinked, wondering what he'd said wrong.

* * *

"Talk about sensitive..." Ziggy muttered as he scrubbed the floor with a toothbrush.

" _Would it be a cliché for me to point out that you missed a spot_?" Doctor K spoke up, and Ziggy couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself, appreciating it even at his own expense.

"Don't worry about the Doc," he looked up to see Teddie crouching in front of him. "Spandex is the only thing that makes him really mad. Other than not training. He made me clean the toilets once for that," she smiled at him.

"You were the one who stopped that robot," Ziggy suddenly remembered. In all the chaos and panic and downright fear, he, Nora and Dillon found that getting into the city was a bit of a blur. "That was awesome, you looked like you were flying. How'd you do it?" he asked eagerly.

"Oh...I uh..." Teddie hesitated, her smile fading a little as she looked away. "It's a long story," she looked down at the soapy ground. "I've been training since I was a little kid," she said briefly.

"It was awesome!" Ziggy exclaimed, not pushing it. Teddie's smile grew a little more.

"It was, wasn't it?" she laughed.

" _Ahem_ ," they both looked up at the computer screen. " _I don't believe that is getting the floor cleaned, do you? And Ranger Series White, don't you have more productive things to be doing_?" Doctor K asked, sounding irritated.

"That's an excellent question Doc. You see, I'm actually already doing something very important," Teddie spoke to the screen, looking deadly serious. "I'm supervising," she explained brightly.

" _Be that as it may, it is also late and the other Rangers have all departed to bed_ ," Doctor K's underlying order made Teddie sigh.

"Fine fine, I'm going," she straightened up, and smiled at the boy still on the floor. "Night," she then walked off, bouncing up the stairs and disappearing into her room.

" _I hope you won't attempt to distract Ranger Series White from her mission_ ," Doctor K warned Ziggy as he watched her shut her door. " _She is already easily distracted_ ," the Doctor stated, and Ziggy quickly went back to scrubbing the floor.

* * *

Nora woke with a jolt, her hand instinctively reaching for the sword that should have been by her side. Her hand grasped air, and after a moment, she remembered where she was.

"Dammit.." she whispered, putting a hand to her face as her breathing evened out. She sat up, her hair falling around her, and took a deep breath, willing herself to relax, but she had a suspicion that she wouldn't be getting any more sleep.

When she heard the low growl of a car engine, Nora frowned and got up. She left the bedroom that she'd been given, and looked over just in time to see Scott's car tear out of the garage.

"Where's Scott going at this time of the night?" Ziggy jumped and looked around as Teddie leaned on the railings beside Nora, looking down at the boy.

"It wasn't..." he started, and trailed off. Teddie frowned, before her eyes widened. She put her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Please tell me that Dillon didn't just steal Scott's car and run off," she pleaded with him. A guilty look in his eyes answered Teddie. "Oh hell," she groaned, and ran back up the stairs. Minutes later, she was running back down, tugging her RPM jacket on over a white tshirt. She hopped down the steps, tying her boot laces before running to her bike.

"Teddie, what are you doing?" Nora followed her down, baffled.

"Where did Dillon go?" Teddie asked Ziggy as she grabbed her helmet.

"He went to Station 19," he told her as the White Ranger went to her bike. "You're going after him?" Ziggy asked as he ran over to her.

"Of course I am. He's got the Black Morpher. But more importantly, there's no way he'll last on his own out there without supplies," Teddie told him as she pulled her helmet on and swung a leg over her bike.

"I'll come with you," Nora volunteered.

"Or me!" Ziggy spoke up quickly, looking worried. Teddie looked up, surveying them with a curious look.

"You need to explain what's happened when the others wake up. Scott's going to hit the roof when he finds out Dillon took his car. I'd advise you guys stay out of reach of him when he finds out," Teddie said to them.

"But I-" Ziggy stopped as Teddie kicked her bike to life. She then looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Why do you want to help him so much? You just met him in the wastelands," she asked, tilting her head.

"Because he helped me. I owe him. And besides...it's the right thing to do," Ziggy shrugged. Teddie gave a small laugh, shaking her head.

"I got him. I'm persuasive. Trust me, I'll bring him back," she flipped the visor of her helmet down, and tore out of the garage.

"She has gotten better on a bike," Nora commented, folding her arms.

"What do we do?" Ziggy turned to her, and she shrugged.

"We trust Teddie to bring him back," she told him, taking a seat on the stairs. "She's persuasive alright," Nora commented as he watched her curiously.

"You think she can convince him to come back?" Ziggy asked her, taking a seat as well.

"I don't trust too many people any more Ziggy," Nora told him in a quiet voice, looking down at her hands. "But of everyone, I trust her," she answered.

* * *

Nora was pulled out of her doze when the alarm blared, and the Rangers rushed from their rooms.

' _Some kind of substance dispersed from inside the city is disrupting the shield frequency_ ,' Dr. K warned them. ' _We have multiple panel breaches_ ' Flynn went to the computer to take a look. Summer stopped as she walked down the stairs, and Scott's eyes widened.

"Dillon..." Summer murmured, looking around to Ziggy and Nora. Ziggy shook his head, looking away.

"My car..." Scott muttered, staring at the space where his car was always parked.

"Where's Teddie?" Summer asked the two sitting behind her.

"Went after Dillon," Nora answered softly.

"I've traced the source," Flynn called over. "It's coming straight from Sector 4's water plant," he told them.

"But my car... _nobody_ touches me car," the Red Ranger didn't seem to hear him.

"Right, well, that's gonna have to wait, okay?" Flynn rolled his eyes as the three stood together. Scott grumbled, but followed as they hurried to the remaining vehicles to get into the city.

* * *

Dillon was sitting in his car, staring at the exit that was blocked by flames that exploded across every few seconds, when he heard the dull purr of an engine. Frowning, he glanced out the window, and sighed heavily as he saw the bike slow to a stop nearby.

"Look Summer, I know you guys want me on your team, but – oh," he realised it was Teddie standing at the window, looking amused as she dropped her helmet to the ground. She then climbed into the car, and stretched.

"I gotta admit, these seats are cosy. No wonder Scott loves this car so much," she commented, looking out ahead of them at the flames. She shifted, and pulled the morpher out from under her. "Oh, better not break that. The Doc would have my head," she mused.

"I can't go back," Dillon told her.

"Because you're looking for someone. I get it," Teddie shrugged, not looking at him. "But what good is running off into the wasteland, with no supplies or information, gonna do you?" she asked. Dillon's jaw clenched, and he didn't reply. "I'm the last person to admit when I need help, but Dillon, we really need you here. Without the Black Ranger, we're screwed. We're completely outgunned," she admitted, finally looking at him with her big eyes. Dillon stared at her silently, taking in the helpless look she had. Her Morpher beeped, and they both looked down.

"Aren't you gonna answer that?" he frowned at her. Teddie rolled her eyes with a sigh, and lifted her arm.

"What's up?" she answered.

"' _What's up' is that your team are out fighting an Attackbot without you, Ranger Series White. Where are you_?" Dr. K demanded.

"Can they handle it?" Teddie didn't answer the question, which made Dillon smirk slightly.

" _Of course they can, I picked them for this mission_ ," Dr. K sounded insulted.

"Well, let me know when they can't handle it," Teddie replied, and ended the communication.

"You aren't going to help your team?" Dillon raised an eyebrow at her.

"I am. Like it or not Dillon, but you're part of my team now," Teddie folded her arms and gave him a flat look. Her stubbornness almost made him smile. He shook his head quickly, not letting her win him over.

"Get out of the car. I have to go out there," Dillon told her, clearing his throat.

"Hmm...nope!" Teddie stretched and got comfortable, making him growl. "You go out there, and I'm coming with you. Like I said, we're a team now," Dillon groaned loudly, and Teddie giggled, seeming to be enjoying his irritation. "You know, when I came out here to find you, Ziggy and Nora wanted to come too?" she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Dudes tried to argue with me, they were worried about you," Dillon didn't respond. "They're pretty attached to you. It's sweet," she teased.

"Please, enough," Dillon growled. "Get out, or I really will take you with me," Teddie's Morpher beeped again. "I bet that's the others needing you now. Get out," Dillon told her, turning as cold a glare at her as he could muster.

"Please, you don't have anything on the dark looks I've seen," Teddie wasn't affected by it, meeting his gaze easily. Dillon sighed heavily, leaning back in his seat.

* * *

Nora paced in the lab, listening to the radio transmissions from Scott, Summer and Flynn. They were completely outnumbered by the mass of Grinders, not to mention the Attackbot that had interfered with the shields in the first place, and they were rapidly running out of energy.

"There's got to be something we can do," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. The alarm blared, and she looked up, seeing the energy levels reaching critical. Nora hissed a curse, feeling helpless. And she hated feeling helpless.

"Doc, can you tap me into the feed for the radio transmissions?" Ziggy's question took Nora by surprise, and she looked at him.

"Don't ever call me 'Doc'," Dr. K warned him irritably.

"Just tell me how to do it! I want Dillon to hear," Ziggy explained, a firmness in his voice that made the doctor go quiet as Nora watched him.

* * *

Dillon's jaw clenched even more, and he revved the engine. Teddie still didn't react, and with a growl he stomped down on the accelerator. The engine roared as they jerked, and the car shot towards the exit.

"Last chance!" Dillon warned her.

" _We need to conserve energy_!" Scott's voice came from Dillon's Morpher, taking the two Rangers by surprise.

" _I'm out_!" Summer cried.

" _Me too_!" Flynn yelled.

" _Summer, watch your six_!" Scott yelled, and Teddie looked up at Dillon, who continued to drive. As Summer's cry of pain echoed from Dillon's Morpher, he let out a yell and served, hitting the brakes.

" _Fine_ ," Dillon seethed, and Teddie smiled at him brightly. She jumped out of the car, grabbing her helmet. Flashing Dillon another smile, she pulled on her helmet and Dillon rolled his eyes. "Let's go!" he yelled, and she nodded, kicking her bike into action, and they sped off back into the city.

* * *

Scott, Summer and Flynn were thrown to the ground once again, crying out in pain and exhaustion as the Grinders continued to swarm them.

"I got you!" Flynn looked up as Teddie collided with the Grinders around him. She knocked them away, grabbing a small device from her pocket. "RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she Morphed into her White suit and tossed the Grinders around.

"What took you so long?" the Blue Ranger called up with a laugh.

"Some heads are thicker than others Flynn," Teddie shrugged, helping him to his feet as Scott's car shot past.

"Hey!" Scott exclaimed as they helped him up. The door opened and Dillon leapt out.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" he Morphed into his black suit, and faced the enemy. "I _hate_ Grinders," Dillon growled.

"If you scratched that, I'm going to make you wish you never came back!" Scott yelled as he got to his feet again.

"You take care of big ugly. I'll keep the Grinders busy," Dillon told them, looking up at the massive Attackbot that towered over them.

"Oh, barking orders already?" Teddie asked, amused.

"But Dillon!" Summer cried out.

"There must be hundreds of them!" Flynn pointed out.

"I know. Venjix should have sent more," Dillon smirked. Without waiting for a response, he raced towards the Grinders.

"Alright, let's do this!" Scott called to the other three, leaving Dillon to fight. They called on their Zords, and formed the High-Octane Megazord as Teddie's Zord flew overhead.

"Finally gonna do some work Teddie?" Flynn called to the White Ranger, who gave a mocking laugh.

"Only because you couldn't finish the job!" she called back, and Flynn laughed.

The Attackbot went on the offensive, and they called on their shield to block the jet of green slime shot at them. The Attackbot gave a laugh as they were forced back, smashing the bridge.

"I've got the bridge!" Teddie flew over and managed to hover her Zord on the bridge, stopping cars from falling into the river below. The Attackbot laughed, and rushed at her. "Uh, guys?" she yelped, and cried out as her Zord was struck before the Megazord shoved him back.

The Attackbot laughed, and struck them in retaliation, making the three cry out.

"He's way too big!" the Megazord sparked and groaned from the hits they had taken.

"I've got an idea!" Flynn yelled. He controlled the Megazord, grabbing some wires, and tied them around the bridge. When the Attackbot lunged at them again, they caught him with the wires and restrained him. "That got him," the Blue Ranger laughed.

"Initiate Weapon!"

"Super Sabre!" They called on their Super Sabre, and struck the robot repeatedly, before going in for the final strike. Teddie fired multiple blasts from her jet, and the combined attacks took out the Attackbot.

"Enemy is down! Down and out!" Scott announced, relieved.

"Dillon? Dillon come in," Summer remembered the Black Ranger below.

"Ranger Black, give me a status update _now_ ," Scott growled as he contacted their new team-mate as well.

" _I'll be fine_ ," Dillon's voice echoed through the line. He didn't even sound like he was out of breath.

"No, I mean, give me a status update on my car!" Scott ordered, putting his hands to his helmet.

" _Ranger Black out_ ," Dillon cut off the communication line before Scott could stop him.

"Dillon? Dillon!" Scott yelled, but received no reply as the other three attempted to hide their laughter.

* * *

"I'm so tired, why can't I go to bed?" Teddie whined as she sat on the sofa, hugging a pillow to her chest.

"Because, you'll throw your sleeping pattern off and I am not going to be responsible for that," Summer told her sternly, sitting at the counter as she played cards with Scott, Nora, Dillon and Flynn. Teddie just pouted, but didn't argue with her, knowing she wouldn't win. Instead she just continued to play her guitar, and watched them play. After a moment, she then reached over and poked Ziggy's side, startling the snoring boy awake. He yelped, and fell off the sofa.

"What was that for?" he complained as he blinked up at her.

"If I can't sleep, neither can you," she told him sternly, and he let out a wide yawn.

"No fair," he complained. Teddie just shrugged as he fell back onto the sofa.

"Don't bother complaining. She won't let you sleep," Flynn commented, and proceeded to win the hand. When Ziggy frowned at Teddie, she gave an innocent smile and turned back to her guitar, focusing on the music.

"Good to see you all getting along," they looked up as Spencer walked in, accompanied by a pretty blonde wearing a grey jacket and black jeans.

"Arianna!" Teddie was tackling the girl in a hug in an instant, and Arianna barely managed to stay on her feet.

"Hey Teddie," she giggled.

"Hey, you're finally getting used to that," the White Ranger laughed, letting her go.

"Hey guys," Scott greeted. Flynn, Nora and Summer waved, as both Dillon and Ziggy looked curious.

"What brings you here bro?" Teddie turned to Spencer.

"Wait, that's your _brother_?" Dillon looked at her sharply.

"But your accent..." Ziggy blinked rapidly.

"What? But we're so similar," Spencer blinked innocently. Dillon snorted.

"Okay, now I see it," he commented. Teddie giggled.

"For proper introductions, this is my brother, Spencer Bly, he works with the Colonel, as you guys know," Teddie introduced her brother.

"Formerly of SPD as well," Scott added for her. Spencer just gave a modest shrug as Ziggy's eyes grew even wider, and Dillon's brow furrowed a little, unaware of it's importance. Summer whispered a quick explanation to the new Black Ranger.

"And this is Arianna, one of my best friends," Teddie introduced the blonde, who smiled brightly.

"It's good to see you again, Nora," she said to the girl, who smiled back softly.

"You too," she nodded.

"So what brings you guys here?" Flynn asked.

"I bumped into Arianna on my way here, she's here to say hi," Spencer told them, before clearing his throat. "And the main reason I'm here, is because of instructions from Colonel Truman," Spencer announced, smirking a little bit. "He has asked me to keep an eye on this rag-tag team of Rangers, especially now you have a new Ranger with cybernetic enhancements," Dillon narrowed his eyes at him.

"So basically, you're here because you don't trust me," Dillon summed up.

"More or less," Spencer nodded. "And before you ask, Doctor K has approved it. So, say hello to your new roomie!" he spread out his arms in an announcement, and they all stared at him.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	4. Go For The Green

**I'm having a lot of fun writing this so far, and I'm only 7 chapters in. There's a lot to go.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Go For The Green

Yawning widely as he stumbled down to the kitchenette for breakfast, Ziggy mumbled a greeting to the blonde sitting there as well, think it was Summer.

"Oh, hi. Ziggy, right?" he blinked rapidly, his vision clearing as he realised that it was most definitely not Summer. The blonde girl with unusually pale blue eyes was sitting with a glass of water.

"And you're Arianna?" he struggled to remember, and she nodded with a soft smile.

"I said I'd help out today, but I got here a bit early," she commented, looking at her phone. "Teddie and Nora are still on their run," Arianna explained.

"Oh..right," Ziggy nodded, before frowning. "Wait. As in, exercise. This early?" he stared at her. Arianna tilted her head slightly.

"It's early?" she asked.

"For a normal person, yes," he nodded.

' _For your information, all of the Rangers are up by 6am_ ,' the two looked at the white screen as Dr. K spoke. ' _You are the only one insisting on sleeping in until after 10 most days_ ,' Ziggy went red as Arianna giggled.

"Hey guys," Teddie called as she and Nora jogged in. "Oh, Ziggy, you're awake. That's a record," Ziggy went even redder as Teddie laughed, and took a bottle of water from Arianna, thanking her before gulping it down.

"No kidding, when we were in the Waste he slept like the dead," Nora snorted. "I had to kick him awake," she commented, taking a drink herself.

"You enjoyed that way more than you're letting on," Ziggy told her flatly. Nora looked at him with a blank expression.

"I have no idea what you mean," she told him in a voice that told them all that she definitely did. "You snored. It was annoying," she shrugged, and both Teddie and Arianna giggled as Ziggy went red again. Arianna's phone buzzed, and Teddie's eyes lit up.

"Oh, is that who I think it is?" Arianna let out a cry when Teddie grabbed the phone. "Oh, are you guys being all cute and stuff again?" she teased, dancing away from the girl who was trying to get her phone back.

"Teddie, stop!" she pleaded as Nora and Ziggy watched. "You know I hate when you do that!" Arianna complained as Teddie giggled, before bumping into Spencer. He sighed, disarming her of the phone and tossing it back to Arianna.

"Behave. We all have ammo on you," he warned Teddie, who blushed, before her lip stuck out in a stubborn look.

"How's Ms. Morgan doing?" she challenged him, and Spencer rolled his eyes, but his cheeks warmed.

"She's fine. Stop being a brat. And get a shower, you reek," he told her, walking away as Arianna replied to the message. Teddie stuck her tongue out at his back.

"Sorry 'Anna..." Teddie mumbled.

"It's okay," Arianna told her, hiding her phone away. "After all, I know you can be just the same," she teased, and Teddie's blush grew.

"Oh shut up," she grumbled, stomping off to shower.

"I have no idea what just happened," Ziggy commented.

"What else is new?" Nora snorted.

* * *

"And for the next Green Ranger candidate..." Ziggy announced, and Flynn elbowed Teddie awake. She sat up abruptly, rubbing her eyes. "Allow me to present, Captain Smoothie!" he gestured to a grown man dressed in a superhero costume. "Now he mostly does birthday parties, and bar mitzvahs, but he could be ready to take it to the next level," Ziggy explained with a smile. Teddie just watched, thinking back to the last time they had searched for a Green Ranger. It was going exactly the same way.

Ziggy indicated for the man to start, and with a loud bellow, he began to demonstrate poorly thrown punches and kicks. Scott shook his head as Flynn and Summer attempted to keep smiling, and failed miserably. Captain Smoothie jumped around, before his cape caught around the fan above him, hauling him into the air and spinning around.

"Oh, it's horrifying, and at the same time I can't look away!" Summer gaped as Teddie covered her eyes, waiting for the inevitable thud. It finally came as the man's costume ripped, and he crashed to the ground. Groaning, the man got back up and stumbled around, now only wearing a pair of teal boxers. Flynn quickly pressed the buzzer, and the man hobbled off stage.

"Well, this is going to go well," Teddie muttered. "Why couldn't I stay behind and train with Dillon?" she complained, shaking her head as Ziggy went to retrieve the next candidate.

* * *

"STOP!" Scott yelled, making Ziggy jump and turn around, having just sent off a mime. Teddie's head was on the desk, and Flynn had his head in his hands as even Summer had lost the ability to smile. "Just...stop! We're looking for a Green Ranger here, not a clown!" he pointed out, fed up with the terrible candidates.

"Do you want a clown? I can get you a clown!" Ziggy offered quickly.

"And on that note, I'll be going home," Flynn stood up with a sigh. Teddie followed him, and Summer stood with an apologetic smile.

"Thanks Ziggy, very entertaining-"

"No, wait, wait, you can't leave yet! This has all been building up to my one hundred percent, can't miss, Green Ranger candidate!" Ziggy pleaded with them.

"Ziggy..." Scott huffed. "This had better be good," he gave in, and Ziggy smiled before running off.

"If he brings out a clown, I am quitting," Teddie warned as they sat down again.

"I'll be right behind you lass," Flynn muttered irritably.

Arianna smiled as Ziggy rushed past her, and tilted her head as she watched him frantically search for another applicant. She then shrugged and turned back to the girls she was talking to.

"Arianna!" she looked around as the young man rushed back up to her, looking flustered but excited. A young woman followed, looking nervous, with long black hair and dark brown eyes. "I found her, the perfect Green Ranger," Ziggy told her, practically bouncing on the spot. Arianna looked from him, to the girl, and paused, before smiling.

"Hey, go on in," she told the girl.

"Thank you," she smiled back, and Ziggy led her in. Arianna's smile faded, and she rubbed her arm, wondering just why she was uneasy.

* * *

"She's off the charts again!" Summer exclaimed as she looked at the report. Tenaya, the young woman who Ziggy had dragged in, was jogging at a steady pace on a treadmill, and had been doing so for almost 10 minutes without becoming out of breath.

"Well?" Ziggy walked over, hearing the Yellow Ranger's awed words. "Not bad eh? Now did I tell you, or did I tell you?" he bragged as Teddie took the report and stared at it in disbelief.

"Tenaya Sevenson. Former news helicopter pilot," Scott read out the girl's bio to the others. "Ziggy, where did you find her?" he looked up at the boy.

"What can I say? Ziggy promises, Ziggy delivers. I make moves, this is what I do," he told them confidently. Teddie frowned, handing the chart to Flynn before turning to Arianna, who was watching Tenaya with a concerned look.

"You okay?" Teddie approached her, and Arianna blinked, looking up quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled, but it faded when Teddie arched an eyebrow at her. "I'm not sure. There's just something about her that makes me...uneasy," she confessed.

"I get you, I'm not sure what it is," Teddie agreed.

"Well, she's perfect! Too perfect," Summer laughed as they walked over to Tenaya.

"Tenaya," Scott cleared his throat and made her look up. She quickly turned off the treadmill, looking up with a smile. "Congratulations. You just joined the Power Rangers," holding the tablet in one hand, he reached out and shook her hand.

" _The sooner Series Green is activated and in Phase One of training, the better_ ," Dr. K spoke up from the tablet.

"Great, well, we can do the DNA bonding right here," Scott told them.

"I'll grab the Green Morpher and be back in a flash," Ziggy offered, and they nodded.

"Arianna, you go with him. Make sure the uh, Green Morpher doesn't fall into the wrong hands," Teddie nudged the girl, who nodded and followed Ziggy.

"And Ziggy?" he stopped and looked around as Summer called him.

"Great work," Scott told him with an impressed smile. Ziggy grinned widely at them, before running out.

* * *

" _Just so you understand Ziggy_ ," Dr. K's voice was impatient as the Green Morpher appeared on the ground in front of him. " _You must guard that Morpher with your life_ ," Dr. K instructed. Ziggy raised an eyebrow and couldn't stop an amused smile showing.

"My life Doc? That's a bit severe, don't you think?" he asked, before noticing Arianna shake her head.

"These Morphers contain the base code for the technology. If Venjix got hold of it, he'd be able to build an army that we would never be able to beat," she told him, looking worried as he played with the Morpher in his hands.

" _You_ **must** _do everything in your power to keep that from falling into the wrong hands_ ," Dr. K added, and Ziggy smiled confidently.

"Never fear, the Zigman's here! After all, who found you the perfect Green Ranger?" he smirked, and Arianna shook her head as she followed him out.

' _Please wait a second_ ,' Arianna stopped, and looked back. ' _I have a request, to ensure that the Green Morpher does not fall into the wrong hands_ ,' the girl tilted her head, but went back inside as Ziggy waited, curious.

* * *

Tenaya stood still as Kayden scanned her, humming to himself as he did. It beeped, and he sighed.

"Sorry, gimme a second, this thing is on the fritz," he complained, tossing it away and taking another from Hicks. "Been giving me false positives all week, I really need to fix it," the Water Ninja sighed.

"Hey, you can never be too careful, can you?" Tenaya told him, and moved her hair. Kayden's eyes widened as he saw the flashing red device on her neck.

"Hey!" Hicks grabbed her and went for his weapon, but she reacted faster, disarming him and kicking him hard before punching him across the face. She then whirled around, and Kayden caught her punch.

"Not bad," she allowed, and Kayden dodged her attacks.

"Why is it always me?" he complained, kicking her back and following her. Tenaya scowled at his ability, but as Kayden went to kick her, he was blasted from the side. Letting out a yell, he was tossed into the seats, collapsing to the ground.

"Took you long enough," Tenaya snapped at the figure who walked in. Wearing a mask that covered most of her face, and a black and red long sleeveless coat over black legging and boots, the new figure gave an air of dangerous power.

"I'm sorry, I thought you could handle two humans," she replied with a light shrug.

"He was a little tougher," Tenaya looked over to Kayden, who was unconscious nearby, with his uniform scorched.

"I think I recognise his face from the files I was given," Tenaya looked up, and shrugged at her companion's comment.

"He's not important," she determined.

"Okay, so where's-"

"Hey guys!" the two looked around at Ziggy's call. "I'm back! And I got the Green Morpher for the perfect..." he trailed off, eyes going wide. Arianna froze as she reached his side. Tenaya turned to him completely, her normal clothes changing to a catsuit. "Evil robotic imposter," he yelped.

"Thanks, I'll take it," Tenaya smirked, approaching the pair.

"Come on!" Arianna grabbed Ziggy's arm and pulled him away.

"Let's go," Tenaya called to the other Attackbot, who nodded and the two followed them out with smirks.

"We need to get out of here," Arianna pulled Ziggy away from the conference hall where the try outs had been. They stopped, seeing Teddie's bike, and glanced to each other.

"I don't know how to ride that thing," Ziggy gulped, and Arianna sighed. She grabbed the helmet and shoved it into his arms. "Why me?" he yelped.

"Because I said so, get on!" she ordered in a firm voice that took him by surprise. They got on and Arianna started the engine. Before they could get anywhere, the two blocked their path. Arianna glared at them, lifting her hand slowly.

"Uh, I don't mean this to sound rude, but... _what_ are you?" Ziggy asked from behind the blonde.

"Siren, Generation 8," the girl with the mask introduced herself, her voice melodic and full of amusement.

"Tenaya, Generation 7. We are Venjix Human Infiltration Attackbots," Tenaya told them. "We are your thoughts and minds, we are mankind's subconscious being, the final evolution of-" she was cut off as Arianna moved sharply, and a metallic substance slammed into the two. They cried out, slammed against the wall, and without waiting, she sped off. Ziggy yelped, grabbing her around the waist to hang on.

"What _was_ that?" he yelled over the roar of the engine.

"I'll explain later," Arianna called back.

"I didn't expect that," Siren chuckled as they got up. "The little princess isn't human," she said to Tenaya, who put on a visor that came down over most of her face.

"Let's go," she said, and the two began to run.

* * *

"Ziggy?" Summer called as the four Rangers walked back into the main conference hall, wondering where the boy was.

"It doesn't take that long to get to the base and back," Teddie frowned. "And I told Arianna to go specifically so he wouldn't get distracted," she grumbled. They froze as they walked in, seeing Hicks on the ground with a bloody nose. "Kayden!" she gasped, running over to her friend.

"Urgh..." he mumbled. "That girl..." Kayden groaned.

"You guys go find Tenaya, I got them," Teddie told the other three, who rushed back out. "Easy Kayden, I got you," she looked up to ensure nobody was watching, before taking a deep breath.

The poorly lit room was suddenly illuminated by a bright light as Teddie's skin started to glow golden. She reached out, touching the Ninja's arm, and the burn began to fade. Kayden's eyes opened slowly, and he gave a small laugh.

"Still weird seeing you do that Ted," he told her, and Teddie smiled, letting the glowing fade before helping him sit up. "Thanks, I can't believe I got blind-sided," Kayden complained.

"What do you mean?" Teddie asked, not understanding.

"That girl Tenaya? She wasn't alone. I don't know what they are but...Ziggy and Arianna are in trouble," Kayden warned her grimly. Teddie's eyes narrowed.

"Not for long," she vowed.

* * *

"Teddie is going to kill me for stealing her bike..." Arianna worried as they stopped in a secluded alleyway, hoping they were well enough hidden from the two trying to get the Green Morpher.

"I think she'd understand, right?" Ziggy whispered back.

"I hope so..." Arianna murmured. "Call the base, we need help here," she told him, clutching her phone in her hand. Ziggy nodded, and grabbed his own phone as Arianna stared at hers. She could see her hands shaking. "It's not going to happen again," she whispered to herself, a hand to her stomach.

"Doc K, this is Ziggy, come in," Ziggy hissed.

" _Yes Ziggy_?" Dr. K's voice was as impatient as it usually was when talking with him.

"You know that uh...perfect Green Ranger I found? Yeah, turns out she's also a uh...deadly Venjix Attackbot. And she has a friend. So I guess...my bad?" Ziggy gulped, waiting for a backlash from the Doctor.

" _Is the Green Morpher secure_?" Dr. K asked, making Ziggy roll his eyes.

"That's affirmative," Ziggy confirmed. "I'm fine too, thanks for asking," he hissed. "And so is Arianna," he added when he looked to the quiet girl.

" _Ziggy, keep the Attackbots busy. Buy yourself some time, I'm on my way. I'll track you through the Morpher_ ," Dillon told him quickly, and Ziggy breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, well hurry, cause this one's different," Ziggy told him quickly.

" _Different? Different how? Explain_ ," Dr. K ordered.

"Well she's..." Ziggy started, before the sound of whistling filled the air again. Arianna paled, going back to the bike. "She's enjoying this," he told the Doctor, before putting away the phone and pulling down the visor again as Arianna started the bike.

"Where are you? Come out!" Arianna challenged, and the whistling stopped as they heard footsteps coming up behind them. Tenaya and Sire ran at them, and Arianna sped off again, making Tenaya shriek in frustration. "Well Ziggy? Any ideas on how to buy some time?" Arianna called over her shoulder.

"I uh..." Ziggy frowned as he thought about it, before grabbing something from his pocket, holding onto Arianna with his other hand as he held up a card. Arianna glanced at it, and frowned.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I hope it works," she told him, before leaning forwards and speeding off in the direction of the Track.

* * *

"Honestly, I'm not surprised Ziggy managed to get into trouble _again_. Dude has the worst luck," Nora commented as the transmission ended.

"I've noticed," Dillon grumbled.

"Dillon, be careful," Spencer warned, just off the phone. "This Tenaya one had incredible readings, and her friend caught my friend off guard, which is bad," Dillon arched an eyebrow. "Just watch yourself out there," he told the Black Ranger.

"Right," Dillon went to his car, and sped off.

"Are they really that bad?" Nora's attitude faded to show real concern.

"They took Kayden by surprise," Nora's eyes widened. She didn't know Kayden that well, but she knew he was a Ninja. It wouldn't be easy to take him by surprise. "Let's hope Arianna and Ziggy can protect the Green Morpher until Dillon gets there," he muttered, arms folded.

* * *

Scott let out a groan as Dr. K filled the four Rangers in on what they'd missed.

"This is all my fault," the Red Ranger declared. "I should never have sent _Ziggy_ to get the Green Morpher," he complained.

"I'm worried about them both," Teddie ran a hand through her hair. "Arianna can look after herself, but her confidence...it took a hit and I'm worried she still hasn't gotten it back. I don't know how well she'll be able to fight after..." Teddie trailed off.

"What happened?" Summer asked curiously. Teddie's grip on her upper arms tightened as she thought back to when Arianna had almost been killed, and her expression was haunted.

"Something I won't let happen again," she vowed. Summer glanced to Flynn, who looked just as baffled.

"Any word, Dr. K?" Summer asked, changing the subject.

' _We lost communication with Arianna and Ziggy. Ranger Black has gone after_ -" the Doctor paused, making them all frown. That rarely happened, and it was never good. ' _Hold on. I'm picking up seismic activity in sector E-3_ ,' Dr. K told them.

"What? Is it an earthquake?" Flynn frowned.

"We're not on any fault lines," Teddie frowned.

"It's much worse," Summer breathed.

* * *

"You haven't really explained what we're doing here," Arianna pointed out as she followed Ziggy to the racing track. He stopped, and turned to her, hesitating.

"Whatever happens, you gotta trust me on this," he told her, his eyes big and pleading.

"I..." Arianna tilted her head. "Okay," she agreed.

"And please, don't tell anyone what these guys say about me," Ziggy added. Arianna's brow furrowed, but she nodded, and Ziggy took off again. She followed, and they went into the stands, where a large man was sitting, accompanied by several men in suits.

"Fresno Bob! Did you miss me?" Ziggy called, earning their attention. The large man, who had been counting his money, had a surprised expression, his blue eyes lighting up.

"Ziggy!" he passed the wad of money to one of his guards, and motioned for the others to grab Ziggy. "I must say, you never fail to surprise me!" he smirked.

"You said, bring what I owe," Ziggy smiled, handing out his bag.

"Ziggy!" Arianna hissed, grabbing his arm.

"Trust me on this, please," he whispered back, and she reluctantly let him go.

"What you owe?" Fresno Bob took the bag with a raised eyebrow. "What you owe doesn't fit in any bag. You know that," he scoffed, before his eyes went to Arianna, and he smirked. "However...I think you might have just cleared your debt," he chuckled. Ziggy's eyes widened when he motioned for the men to grab Arianna.

"Let me go!" she cried, struggling in their grip.

"What? No! Let her go, she's totally innocent," Ziggy defended her, but was shoved away.

"You're kidding, right Ziggy?" Fresno Bob frowned at him. "I thought I taught you better than that," he sighed when Ziggy looked completely clueless. "She's one of the last aliens left on earth. You know how much that's worth?" his eyes went wide and he looked to Arianna, who stared at the mob boss.

"How do you know that?" she asked softly. He chuckled.

"I make it a habit to know the rich and famous of Corinth, dear," Fresno Bob smirked at her darkly. "I wonder who'd pay more for you? A collector, or your boyfriend?" he asked, and tears filled her eyes.

"Leave him out of this," she pleaded. Fresno Bob didn't get another chance to speak, as they were joined by two others, who shoved Ziggy and Arianna aside, freeing them from the grasp of the guards.

"That is _mine_ ," Tenaya growled. Fresno Bob clutched the bag closer to his chest.

" _Yours_?" he repeated with a laugh of disbelief. "I have been waiting..." he trailed off as he took her appearance into consideration. "Hey, it's that girl from before!" he realised.

"Right, and now that I've uh, reintroduced you guys, feel free to hang out, get to know each other," Ziggy backed away with a smirk. "Beat each other senseless," he grabbed Arianna's arm and the two ran off.

"But the Green Morpher!" Arianna protested.

"It's okay, I have it," Ziggy soothed her, and paused. "I'm sorry, I had no idea he'd be after you," he apologised, and Arianna shook her head. She gave a soft smile.

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault," she said. "Now come on, we need to get away from here," Arianna told him, before hearing a high-pitched shriek. "What was that?" she wondered.

"Whatever it was, it can't be good," Ziggy said, moving away from the tracks. The two started running again, before another shriek echoed, carrying with it a shockwave that lifted them both off their feet. The two crashed to the ground, groaning, and Siren coughed.

"I hate doing that. But it's useful in stopping rodents like you getting away," she commented as she approached them. "Now, hand over the Green Morpher," she ordered.

"Where's Dillon..." Ziggy looked around, but there was still no sign of his friend. Arianna got to her feet, standing in front of Ziggy.

"You're not getting it," she vowed. Tenaya gave a laugh as she stood beside Siren, tossing the damaged bag aside.

"And you're going to stop us, _princess_?" she mocked, but to her surprise, Arianna just laughed.

"I've been called that a lot, it's not really an insult anymore," she told them, and threw out her hand. The two dove aside to dodge the mercury that flew from her hand, and Tenaya shot a blast that she deflected with her powers. Ziggy scrambled backwards, as Arianna stood taller. "I've been helpless too many times," Arianna reached into her jacket as Siren and Tenaya watched, confused. "I couldn't stop bad guys from hurting my friends, from hurting me, but this time is different. You're not getting the Green Morpher," she vowed, pulling a device from her pocket.

"She has another Morpher?!" Siren gasped.

"Impossible!" Tenaya snarled, and they lunged at her, but it was too late. Arianna slotted in the Engine Cell, and it flashed.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she Morphed, and the power unleashed tossed both Attackbots back, and shoved Ziggy along too. When the dust faded, he looked up, stunned, at the suit similar to the others, with a helmet that resembled a deer and a grey tone to the suit with black across the front like belts.

"What are you supposed to be?" Siren sneered at her.

"Isn't it obvious?" Arianna tilted her head. "I'm the RPM Mercury Ranger," she declared, and rushed forwards, kicking Tenaya back and punching out at Siren. "Ziggy, _run_!" she shouted to the boy, who nodded quickly and sprinted off as the familiar roar of Dillon's car reached them. The black, beaten car raced into view, and Ziggy ran for it.

"Where's Arianna?" he called as Ziggy got in.

"Uh, there?" Ziggy pointed, and Dillon couldn't stop himself from staring in disbelief at Arianna fighting the two. Despite the power boost, she was outmatched by the two, and Tenaya broke away, charging right for the car.

"Oh great, leave me with this one," Siren complained, dodging Arianna's punch.

"Don't underestimate me," Arianna warned her, and Siren grunted as Arianna's boot met her stomach. She staggered back, and smirked.

"Okay, I won't, little princess," Siren nodded, meeting her again. "So, tell me, when did the _amazing_ Dr. K create that? I didn't have a record of a Mercury Morpher," she commented as Arianna spun out of reach.

"None of your business," the Mercurian bit back.

"Oh," Siren giggled. "Okay. So, how about you tell me more about those mysterious powers of yours?" she asked.

"They're not mysterious," Arianna replied, catching Siren in the shoulder with a punch. Siren backed up, a hand to her shoulder, and looked around to see Tenaya toss Dillon back, and he Morphed, only to be shoved into a wall. "Dillon!" Arianna went to help him, only for Siren to blast her off her feet. Arianna hit the ground, and Siren stood over her.

"Just watch. Your attempt was noble, but not good enough," she told the fallen Ranger. Arianna was forced to watch as Tenaya took the Green Morpher from Ziggy, who was on the ground winded.

"Now, I will bond with your _Series Green,_ and destroy the Power Rangers from within!" Tenaya declared with a laugh. "I will become the final stage of techno-awareness!" she laughed.

"You talk too much!" to their surprise, Ziggy managed to get back up, grabbing the Morpher from her despite his injuries.

"Ziggy!" Dillon yelled, and Siren charged in to help, only for Arianna to tackle her down. The two fought on the ground viciously, before seeing a flash of light.

"Whoa, I'm a Power Ranger!" Ziggy yelped as he realised that he was in the Green Ranger suit. Dillon and Arianna stared, stunned that he'd bonded with the Morpher. Tenaya let out a shriek and attacked him as Siren continued to struggle with Arianna. "I don't wanna be a Power Ranger, I do _not_ wanna be a Power Ranger!" unused to the boost and the abilities of his suit, Ziggy bounced through the air to avoid her attacks.

"Ziggy, duck!" as Tenaya finally landed a hit, Dillon recovered and blasted her. Siren was up and running to help her as well, and Arianna took a breath.

"Jet Fists!" Arianna called on a pair of powerful fists that covered her own, and she connected a powerful punch to Siren's back, and the Attackbot let out a cry, crashing to the ground beside Tenaya. "Are you okay?" Arianna asked as she reached Ziggy, who was staring at his hands.

"Yeah," he nodded as Dillon stood with them. Tenaya and Siren stood, with a crack splitting down Tenaya's visor.

"You haven't won," Tenaya declared. "The Gopher Bot is already within the walls of your city," she warned, a vicious smirk on her face.

"Your pathetic city will crumble from below," Siren giggled, and waved, waggling her fingers at them as the two strode off.

"The what?" Dillon frowned.

"We better find the others," Arianna said to him. Dillon nodded, and Ziggy gulped as he started to realise just what he'd done.

* * *

Dillon, Arianna and Ziggy ran through the forest on the outskirts of the city, looking for any sign of the Gopher Bot.

"Hey Dillon, Arianna, come on, wait up!" Ziggy pleaded as he struggled to keep up with the two. After what seemed like forever to the new Green Ranger, they finally stopped, looking around. "Shouldn't we wait for the others?" he asked as Dillon looked around, and shushed him.

"Listen," he told him, kneeling in the dirt.

"What is it?" Ziggy asked, quieter this time as he and Arianna did the same. Listening carefully, they heard strange noises beneath the ground.

"That sounds like...digging," Arianna looked to the pair.

"Follow my lead," Dillon ordered, and they nodded, standing back up.

"Deploy weapons!" they pressed the button on their belts, and shining lights flew from them, hovering in front of the three.

"Rocket Blaster!"

"Turbo Axe!"

"Jet Fists!" Dillon blasted the ground as Arianna and Ziggy hit it hard with their axe and fists. An Attackbot went flying out of the ground, and crash landed nearby.

"End of the line," Dillon warned, only for the Attackbot to go on the offensive and fire shots that threw the three backwards. It then ran at them, and Arianna and Dillon began to fight. Ziggy ran and hid behind a tree, watching the two as they ducked and dodged attacks from the powerful Attackbot. It backed up, but as it went to blast them, a figure in White shot in and rammed it hard with a large hammer, tossing the robot into a tree.

"Urgh, I knew I'd be late," Teddie complained, and looked around. She then stumbled in surprise. "Uh... _what_?" she demanded. "Dillon, dude, what the hell?" she questioned.

"Sorry Teddie, Dr. K kinda dropped this on me last second," Arianna admitted weakly.

"'Anna?" Teddie almost dropped her hammer. "That's awesome! I knew you'd be an awesome Ranger!" she laughed. Arianna blushed, grateful her helmet hid her pleased smile. "Then who's..." Teddie trailed off as she turned to the Green Ranger, and this time did drop her hammer. It landed with a heavy thud that made the ground tremour. "Oh, no way," she couldn't help but giggle. "Scott's gonna lose his mind," she laughed as Ziggy peeked out at her from behind the tree. As the Attackbot recovered and ran at them, it was blasted again and Scott, Flynn and Summer ran into view.

"Need some help?" Scott called.

"You alright?" Flynn asked.

"We're ok," Dillon nodded to them.

"We tracked you from the seismic disturbance," Summer explained, before Scott noticed that they weren't alone.

"What?!" he stared at the Green Ranger hiding behind the tree, and Arianna standing beside Teddie. "Who are they?!" he demanded, but Dillon and Teddie were spared from answering when the Attackbot got back up. "Let's end this!" Scott nodded to Flynn and Summer as they drew their Nitro Blasters. They raced at him, hitting him repeatedly, but before they could finish him off, the Gopher Bot began to dig, burying the three primary coloured Rangers.

"Let's go!" Teddie ran over and grabbed Ziggy's arm.

"Not me, no way!" Ziggy cried out, but she and Dillon dragged him into the hole with Arianna to follow the Gopher Bot.

"Where'd Black, White, Green and the other one go?" Scott asked as they managed to dig their way out.

"Never mind where's Green and the other one! _Who_ were they?!" Flynn demanded, and Scott sighed.

* * *

"Come on, it's this way," Teddie led the other three through the underground tunnels, easily navigating as the Gopher Bot tried to lose them.

"How do you know?" Dillon asked her suspiciously.

"I'll explain later, we need to stop the Gopher Bot," Teddie called over her shoulder. Arianna couldn't help but smile, but was worried about Teddie's secretive nature. It seemed she still hadn't changed.

"You know it's me, but you don't care?" Ziggy asked curiously as they continued along.

"Huh?" Teddie glanced back at him.

"Me. _Ziggy_. You know I'm the Green Ranger and you're not freaking out," he accused her.

"Oh. Right," Teddie looked ahead again. "The bonding is permanent. Nothing I say will change that," she said, and Ziggy wilted, seeming disappointed. "But that doesn't matter. You're a Ranger because you were meant to be a Ranger. You'll be a good addition," Ziggy stared at Teddie as she spoke.

"You don't need to straight up lie to the guy," Dillon smirked, and Ziggy shot him a glare, but it was wasted due to his helmet.

"I'm not," Teddie laughed. "It's the truth," she stopped, and looked around. "If you become a Ranger, then it's for a reason," she told them.

"You believe in fate? You were picked by a creepy voice behind a computer screen," Dillon pointed out dryly. Teddie just shrugged.

"Everyone needs something to believe in, Dillon," she told him, and continued walking. "Come on, before we lose this creep," she called back.

"Let's go," Arianna smiled, patting Ziggy's shoulder and walking on.

"Out here!" Teddie called, and the four burst from the hole.

"Nitro Blasters!" they leapt through the air, blasting Gopher Bot and making it shriek.

"Well, that wasn't so hard," Ziggy shrugged.

"Move!" Teddie knocked the three aside to avoid a blast from the Gopher Bot. " _Never_ say that," she told him, putting her hands on her hips. Arianna giggled. They then grabbed their weapons again, and began to fight off the Attackbot. Jumping into the air, Teddie spun, and slammed down her Hammer on the back of the Gopher Bot's shovel-like head. It hit the ground hard, and as it pushed back up and threw Teddie off, Ziggy hit it with his Axe. Arianna got in close, and her powerful punch tossed the Attackbot into the air. Dillon then blasted it, and the four stood together, before the Gopher Bot launched at them again. They shoved it back, and combined their weapons.

"Turbo Plasma Launcher!" they yelled.

"Engine Cell, Activate! Fire!" they inserted the chip into the cannon and fired, destroying the Attackbot. Before they could think about celebrating, it reassembled and grew. The other three arrived, skidding to a stop in front of them, before Scott turned around.

"Who are you?" he demanded, and the Green Ranger ducked behind Teddie and Dillon, peeking out from behind them.

"Not now," Dillon told Scott calmly.

"Yeah, we have something more important to focus on right now," Teddie reminded him, pointing up to the giant Attackbot.

"Right. Calling Zords!" the three called on their Megazord as Teddie called on her Zord, and they summoned the Super Sabre.

"Weapons online!" Flynn smirked as Teddie flew past and blasted the Gopher Bot. It roared, and began to dig, pelting them with dirt and rocks. "Engage front deflectors!" Scott yelled, and they blocked the dirt, before flying into the air. They hurtled down, and slashed through the Attackbot.

"High Octane Megazord, full power!" they slashed across it, and destroyed the Gopher Bot.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, and uh...creepy Doc K computer screen," Dillon glanced to the computer as he walked over to the Green and Mercury Rangers that stood in the middle of the lab. Scott, Summer and Flynn stared at him, wondering just who it could be. "May I present to you, the seventh and eighth members of our team," Dillon gestured, and Arianna demorphed.

"Arianna!" Summer smiled as the Mercurian blushed.

' _I chose Arianna as the subject for a prototype Morpher I have been working on for a while. As a Mercurian, her fluid genetic make-up made her the perfect candidate_ ,' Dr. K explained.

"Dr. K asked me to bond with it if necessary," Arianna blushed at the doctor's words. "When Siren and Tenaya attacked...I figured it was necessary," she chuckled.

"Okay, then who's Ranger Green?" Flynn asked, a little impatient. As they looked to him, he glanced to Dillon, who gave a small nod. He demorphed, and Teddie had to bit her lip, turning her head away from the stunned expressions.

"No way..." Summer breathed.

"How...why?" Flynn gasped.

"You've got to be kidding me," Spencer pushed his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Nora was gaping at him, not bothering to hide her own shock.

"Look, Ziggy, you can't just _be_ a Ranger!" Scott shouted as Ziggy remained silent, looking at the ground. He'd expected their reactions to be exactly that.

" _There is a strict series of tests designed to test the qualifications of an operator_ ," Dr. K told them, and Scott gestured to the screen as if it proved his point.

"He may not be the idea choice-"

" _I would say far from it_ ," Dr. K growled as Dillon spoke up.

"'You must guard that Morpher with your life'," Arianna spoke up, earning their attention. "'You _must_ do everything in your power to keep that from falling into the wrong hands'," she stated, putting her hands behind her back. "You said so yourself Doc. Ziggy was to protect the Morpher at all cost. Siren and Tenaya were too strong for Dillon and I to beat alone. Tenaya would have gotten the Morpher, if he hadn't bonded with it himself," she pointed out. Dr. K didn't respond.

"But it's _permanent_!" Flynn pointed out, looking from her, to Ziggy.

"That's right," Dillon nodded. "This is a done deal, fellow Rangers. So we all better get used to it," Dillon told them with a smirk.

" _I'm not sure this Operator arrangement is going to work_!" Dr. K insisted. Teddie stretched, and straightened up, walking out of the lab as Dr. K kept talking.

"Okay, how are you so calm about this?" Scott demanded, following her out.

"Because he bonded with the Green Morpher," Teddie shrugged. "Facing a dangerous Attackbot that knocked two Rangers on their butts, he didn't run away. He fought to keep the Morpher out of her hands. And look, he succeeded," she pointed out. The three behind her didn't respond. "And like Dillon said," she glanced around at them, and looked over to Dillon as he took a seat nearby. "It's a done deal. Nothing we can say or do is gonna change the fact, that Ziggy's the new Green Ranger," she told them, and with a laugh she walked off, heading out to retrieve her bike. The three groaned, and Spencer sighed.

"She's still so weird," Nora commented.

"Yeah. I don't know how Kendall dealt with her," Spencer commented, making the girl grin.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Handshake

**This was a pretty fun chapter to write!  
**

 **I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Handshake

The air in the Garage was light, as everyone took advantage of the quiet morning to relax. Music filled the air as Teddie sat with her legs stretched across the sofa, playing her guitar as Flynn worked on Dillon's car nearby.

" _Tell me babe, how many times I've shed my tears?  
Every Heart,  
Every heart is not a gentle one.  
Why can't I – I can never share my loneliness,  
Every Heart, doesn't know what to say or what to do_," Teddie stopped playing to scribble in her notebook, and Nora felt a poke to her side.

"What?" she asked Ziggy, who was sitting beside her.

"What's she doing?" he whispered as Teddie continued to play.

"Playing football, what's it look like," Nora rolled her eyes, going back to her notebook. Ziggy poked her again, and she sighed heavily. "Really?" she glowered at the new Green Ranger, who didn't seem affected by her glare. Nora rolled her eyes. "She's probably writing a new song," she told Ziggy shortly.

"A new song?" he tilted his head, curious.

"Yes. Teddie's a singer," Nora closed her book with a snap. "In a band," she added, Ziggy watched Teddie, seeming fascinated, and Nora rolled her eyes, getting to her feet. "I wouldn't even think about going there, Ziggy," she warned him, walking away.

"Going where?" Ziggy asked, but Nora didn't answer, just walking away. He then glanced back at Teddie, who looked up and met his gaze. She smiled, and went back to her music, missing his blush.

* * *

"Seriously 'Anna, when did you get so good?" Teddie laughed as she and Arianna emerged from the lab later on. "You're really giving me a run for my money," she commented, and the Mercurian blushed.

"I didn't sit around doing nothing all the time in Amber Beach," Arianna reminded her. Teddie smiled fondly at the memories. "And Philip still likes to train so I would too," she gave a shrug, before stopping Teddie. "You haven't told them, have you?" Arianna asked, and Teddie glanced away.

"No, not yet," she admitted, and sighed. "I know I should. We both know that this stuff doesn't stay hidden," Teddie gave a weak smile. "But it's different. There was a lot of hate towards past Rangers after Venjix won," her hand went to the gem around her neck, and Arianna put a hand on her arm.

"The people who matter, don't care. You know that," she told Teddie, who was silent. "But it will eventually come out. Spencer said the Ranger files were one thing that Venjix managed to access before SPD erased everything they had. Sooner or later they may use it to their advantage," Arianna warned her.

"Urgh, do you always have to be so wise?" Teddie groaned, but her smile told her friend that she wasn't annoyed. "I'll tell them. Everything. Just...I need a bit of time to prepare for that," she told the Mercury Ranger.

"You need to let more people in Ted, we-" whatever Arianna was going to say was drowned out by the sudden roar of Dillon's engine. The two put their hands to their ears as Scott's engine joined in, as the two stared each other down.

' _Ranger Series Black, report to the Ranger Room, please,_ _' Dr. K was barely audible, but neither of the two male Rangers noticed. Summer, who had been drawn from her room, leaned on the railings and shouted down. With a sigh, Teddie whistled loudly, finally earning their attention._

 _"You wanna make a little more noise? I think I got some hearing left in one ear," Summer shouted down to them._

"Just trying to prove a point," Scott told her.

"Keep trying," Dillon looked at the Red Ranger, unimpressed.

"Yeah? Well if you weren't so busy beating your chests, you might have heard Dr. K paging Dillon over the comm," Summer snapped at the pair.

" _Ranger Series Black, report to the Ranger Room, please_ ," as if to prove this, Dr. K spoke again. With a groan, Dillon got out of his car and headed to the lab as Teddie rolled her eyes again.

"Alpha males are a pain in the ass," she sighed to Arianna, who giggled.

"You say that, but uh, Heckyl is kinda an alpha male too," Arianna teased her, and Teddie elbowed her before stalking off.

"So's Philip, so..." Teddie stuck out her tongue as she walked away. Arianna just continued to laugh.

* * *

"Summer," the blonde looked up as Teddie called. The White Ranger was sitting on the ground beside Summer's bike, an eyebrow raised. "Did you, y'know, _ram_ this into the last Attackbot?" she asked, looking incredulous. Summer smiled slightly, moving the pool cue between her hands.

"Sort of," she admitted. Teddie groaned, shaking her head.

"No worries Teddie," Spencer laughed as he walked over. "I'll give you a hand," he offered.

"What, you're a mechanic too?" Ziggy asked in disbelief as he lifted the other cue.

"Where'd you think Teddie learned?" Spencer asked him. Teddie nodded, before her smile faded.

"Uh, you're playing against Summer?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. When he nodded, she gave a laugh. "Good luck," Teddie told him, lifting a wrench to start working on Summer's bike.

"Hey! At least I don't cheat!" Summer called back, insulted.

"It's the only way I'll beat you," Teddie told her unapologetically, setting down her tools. Instead of starting straight away, she turned and watched as Summer took the first shot to break. She hit the white ball, and immediately potted each of the striped balls, followed by the black. Nora snorted, putting a hand to her mouth as Ziggy stared at Summer.

"What are you? Psychic or something?!" he demanded.

"Something," Summer shrugged.

"I told you," Teddie laughed.

"I think we'll need more tools," Spencer told her, and Teddie nodded, getting up to get the toolbox.

" _Ranger Series Black, you still owe me three minutes of shield training_ ," Dr. K spoke up as Dillon stormed out of the lab, his hair standing on end. The others looked around, and Teddie started to giggle at his hair. Spencer couldn't help but grin too.

"Bill me," he snapped, walking over to the fridge.

"Uh, Dillon? I wouldn't..." Teddie trailed off as Dillon yanked the door open reaching in to grab a bottle of water. He stopped, and stepped back as a cannon followed him out.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Dillon growled, unable to believe what was pointed at him.

" _Shall we begin_?" Dr. K asked snidely, and before he could move, he was blasted backwards, and thrown into Teddie before she could dodge. They crashed to the ground groaning, and despite the pain, Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

"Dammit Doc, you coulda killed her!" Dillon shouted as he rolled off Teddie.

"You guys alright?" Summer asked as the other Rangers walked over to them.

"Sure...?" Teddie laughed, and groaned as she regretted it. Spencer helped her up, as Nora couldn't help but laugh.

"That was some good distance," she smirked.

"Hilarious," Dillon grunted as he got back to his feet, his hair even messier.

"You're heavier than you look. And you look pretty heavy to begin with," the White Ranger told him as she put an arm around her ribs. The alarm suddenly blared, and she groaned. "Can I call in sick?" she asked as they ran over to the computer screen.

"It's a perimeter breach through an air intake," Scott frowned in confusion.

"Must be a pretty small attack force, nothing big's getting through there," Flynn commented.

" _My forces are taking fire at the Sector 9 Power Grid,_ " Colonel Truman appeared on screen. " _They can't hold them off_ ," he warned the Rangers.

" _If Venjix takes out that grid, it could disrupt the entire Southern Hemisphere of the city shield_ ," Dr. K warned. The Rangers quickly made for their vehicles, and Teddie grabbed her helmet from on top of a pile of tires.

"Sorry Summer, I'll take a look at your bike later," she called to the Yellow Ranger, who grinned and flipped her visor over her eyes. They sped out, closely followed by Flynn, Arianna and Ziggy in the blue jeep, leaving Dillon to ride along with Scott.

* * *

 _Reaching Sector 9, the three vehicles slowed to a stop just by Tenaya, Siren and a group of Grinders. The four Rangers ran to fight as Tenaya and Siren watched with smirks, and after a minute, Scott's red car spun to a stop, narrowly avoiding hitting Teddie's bike._

"Hey! Watch it!" the White Ranger yelled to him as she noticed, before ducking to avoid the attack of a Grinder. Dillon, who looked a little shaken from driving with Scott, shook it off and the pair leapt from the car, joining the fight. Teddie grumbled under her breath, and swung a kick to knock back the Grinders. They toppled backwards, and Teddie leapt onto a crate, dodging more blows. Seeing Scott, Summer and Flynn Morph, Teddie grabbed the disk around her neck and slotted it into her Morpher.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she morphed into her White suit as Arianna Morphed as well, and flipped off the crate. "Rocket Hammer!" Teddie called on her hammer and swung hard, slamming it into the Grinders and throwing them backwards as their circuitry was destroyed.

"I see having Dillon thrown at you hasn't slowed you down lass!" Flynn called nearby, blasting more Grinders with his Turbo Cannon.

"Yeah, it only hurts when I breathe," Teddie shot back, rolling her eyes as he laughed. Jumping up, she spun, and slammed the hammer down on the ground hard, causing a small explosion that destroyed the Grinders on the other side. She smirked, spinning her hammer before resting it on her shoulder.

"Jet Fists!" she glanced around as Arianna faced off against Siren.

"Round two, huh, Mercury Ranger?" Siren taunted her. Arianna's eyes narrowed, but she didn't rise to the taunt. Siren kicked out at her, but Arianna moved around it and punched her hard. Siren let out a cry as she was thrown backwards.

"Teddie! Dillon needs our help!" Summer called as she noticed the Black Ranger struggling to fight Tenaya. Nodding, Teddie ran to her, Scott and Flynn, and the four combined their weapons. "Dillon, get down!" the Yellow Ranger warned, and Dillon ducked as they aimed their cannon at Tenaya. They blasted the human-like Attackbot, and she cried out, thrown backwards.

"You ok?" Teddie asked as they helped him up.

"Fine," he muttered, nodding. Nearby, Tenaya got back up, and with a smirk she walked off with Siren.

"There's something infuriating about that smirk of hers," Teddie muttered, resting her hands on her hips. The others nodded their agreement.

* * *

 _"_ _Ranger Series Black, do you have any idea why you weren't able to properly power up your suit's shield_ _?" Dr. K asked Dillon as they stood in the lab for debriefing. Dillon paced behind the others, still annoyed by how the battle had gone._

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me!" Dillon snapped, quivering a little with barely suppressed anger.

" _To maximise energy flow, it is essential that you have absolute faith in the suit_ ," Dr. K explained, and Dillon rolled his eyes. " _We will need to double your training sessions_ ," the Doctor decided, and Dillon let out a huff, fed up with it.

"I don't think increasing my training is gonna help much," he continued to pace.

" _Well it seems more logical than decreasing it, given your self-scattered performance_ ," Dr. K pointed out, and Dillon finally stopped.

"It's not the suit I have a problem with. It's you," he announced. The other five looked around at him quickly, and Scott scowled at the angry Black Ranger. Spencer stepped forwards, standing between Dillon and the team.

"Dillon, you're out of line..." he warned Dillon, who was too angry to listen.

"Am I? Have any of you ever met or seen this Dr. K?" Dillon demanded. Nobody spoke, and Scott continued to glare at him. "It could be _anyone_ , broadcasting from _anywhere_!" he snarled.

" _Ranger Black, I assure you, no-one wants to destroy the Venjix Virus more than me_ ," Dr. K defended, but it did little to calm Dillon down.

"Then try testing the invincibility shield _yourself_!" he snapped, and stormed off out of the lab. Sighing, Teddie walked off, not in the mood to continue on with the debriefing as she left the lab as well. Grabbing her tools, she began to work on Summer's bike, deep in thought.

"Hey Teddie?" she looked up, and smiled as Arianna approached.

"What's up?" she asked, setting down the wrench.

"Why do you think that attack force was so small?" Arianna asked, crouching beside her. "It didn't make much sense. Other than Tenaya and Siren, it was just a small group. Venjix should know by now that we're a big team, I mean there's three more of us in the space of a few weeks," she pointed out.

"I don't know," Teddie admitted quietly, setting the wrench down. "But Venjix, he's just like the rest. The attacks are for a reason, and we'll find out sooner, rather than later," she warned Arianna, who looked at the ground.

"Then we'll have to be ready," she looked back up, her gaze becoming determined.

"Right," Teddie smiled back. "We got this," they bumped fists. "But uh," she glanced up. "Let's hope Dillon is with us," she commented, and Arianna nodded.

* * *

Nobody slept very well that night, all wondering about the small attack force, and about Dillon's words. It seemed Dillon was still in a mood, trying to read in the small kitchen area as Flynn made a smoothie after training.

"Come on Teddie, I thought you're supposed to be better than this," Nora grinned as Teddie scrambled under her sword swing, before lifting her own blades to block the swing.

"I'm used to the hammer!" Teddie complained as she pushed in close and kicked Nora back. "You've been training with a sword since your parents let you," she grumbled, and Nora's grin widened.

"And you've been training for longer," she pointed out. Teddie flushed and rolled under another swing.

"Are the real weapons a good idea?" Ziggy wondered, sitting watching the two.

"They've been doing this long enough to know the limit," Arianna told him, watching as well. She smiled, watching Teddie's moves with the two short swords in her hands, which allowed her a much faster attack style than Nora's forceful broadsword did. And even with the speed, Teddie's style was sturdy and didn't allow Nora to force her back.

"Who learns to fight with swords?" Ziggy questioned.

"The person who saved your ass multiple times in the Waste, Ziggy," Nora called over as she jumped back to dodge Teddie's strike. He flushed as Teddie giggled. She moved suddenly, and Nora's sword clattered to the ground loudly, and she stopped, as Teddie's blade stopped inches from her throat. "Okay, you're still good," Nora allowed, and Teddie grinned, stepping back and dropping her hands to her sides.

"Course I am," she grinned, and Nora snorted. "Time for food!" Teddie decided, leaving the swords behind and bouncing out. Arianna and Nora followed her, and Ziggy approached the swords, looking curious. "I wouldn't," he yelped, jumping as Teddie materialised behind him. Her dark eyes gleamed in amusement as he went red. "They're kind of important," she told him.

"Teddie, stop scaring him," Spencer didn't look up from the tablet he was working on.

"Fine, fine," Teddie shrugged, turning and leaving the lab again, not noticing a small black device shoot past her feet. She took a seat by Flynn, who had stuck a tiny umbrella behind his ear. "Looking good Flynn," the White Ranger grinned, grabbing an apple. "But you know you're cursed with smoothies, you never-" as Flynn went to take a drink, the alarm went off, and he sighed.

"Every time," he grumbled, pulling the umbrella off and tossing it down.

"Cursed," Teddie whispered with a giggle, and they went to the computer screen with the others.

"Shield grids are compromised in all sectors," Summer realised, her eyes wide.

"The city is completely vulnerable," Scott growled as Colonel Truman popped up on screen.

' _Rangers, we have multiple Venjix targets approaching fast_ ,' he warned them.

"It's a breach in Gate 347," Spencer walked out of the lab, fixing his glasses. "Trying to find out what's going on," he told them.

"Alright, let's get out there," Scott told his team, who nodded. They ran to the vehicles, and Teddie lifted her helmet.

"Dillon come on! There's trouble!" she shouted up to the Black Ranger's room. There was no response, and she shook her head before pulling on her helmet, starting her bike. She sped towards the way out, only for the shutters to drop. She was forced to turn as she skidded, trying to stop, hitting the shutters and bouncing off, falling off her bike.

"Teddie!" Spencer called, almost dropping his tablet.

"You alright?" Flynn called, his jeep stopped right in front of her.

"Seems I'm cursed today too," she stood up, pulling off her helmet. "But I'm good," Teddie nodded, looking around. "What the heck happened?" she wondered as they all looked around.

"No idea," Summer frowned as Ziggy walked away from them.

"I know this is gonna sound crazy," he warned as he looked around carefully. "But I swear, I just saw a human – hand!" he yelped, and they whirled around. Arianna put her hands to her mouth in horror as they saw a disembodied hand holding Ziggy an inch in the air by his underwear.

"For the love of Odin's beard!" Flynn cried, staggering back in horror.

"Help me..." Ziggy whimpered, before he was dropped to the ground. He lay there for a moment, groaning in pain.

"Okay, now I really have seen everything," Nora pulled him to his feet.

' _Rangers, I'm picking up signs of an intruder_ ,' Dr. K warned.

"Really Doctor, y'think?" Scott grumbled as they followed the hand over to the pool table. Summer, Flynn and Ziggy grabbed pool cues, and the sound of metal ringing echoed as Nora drew her sword.

"Where'd it go?" Teddie wondered as they looked around. Scott suddenly let out a shriek.

"It's in my shirt!" he flailed as the hand climbed up. "Oh no..." he gulped when it gripped his collar, and Scott was slammed down on the table. "Do something!" he yelled as he fought it. He rolled around, dragged around as the three with cues started to hit him. "Not that!" he wailed. Nearby, Teddie couldn't stop her laughter, almost doubled over.

"What is going on?" Dillon finally emerged from his room and looked down. His eyes widened as he saw the commotion. "You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered, and leapt over the railings, landing beside Arianna and Teddie. Arianna let out a gasp, but Teddie didn't react, still laughing.

"Stop!" Scott yelled, and Dillon grunted as he was tripped by the hand that had escaped in the fuss.

"Dillon, move!" Teddie yelled, tackling him away from his car, just in time as the hand started the engine and flames burst from the side, right where Dillon had been lying. "Okay, I've had my fun," she drew her engine cell from her pocket.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" all but Dillon Morphed, and looked around.

"Where'd it go?" Summer frowned.

"There!" Ziggy yelled, swinging his axe at the table as the hand dove into one of the pockets. It jumped out of another one, and Ziggy continued to try and hit it, swinging his axe and narrowly missing the others.

"How about you let me try?" Teddie smirked as she clapped a hand on his shoulder. Swinging her hammer, the White Ranger approached the table. The hand popped up, and she swung down, narrowly missing the thing. "It's like a more annoying version of Whack-a-Mole!" she commented as she hit the pockets, before shaking her head. "Enough!" she swung down even harder on the corner pocket, and the force threw the hand into the air. It landed on the table, and using her Nitro Sword like a cue, Summer hit it back into the air. Ziggy hit it with his axe, and it flew through the air. It landed near to Dillon as the Black Ranger recovered.

"Dillon look out!" he looked up at Summer's cry, and saw the hand on the ground. He lunged for it, but it jumped about, easily avoiding him before grabbing his shirt. Dillon was then tossed through the air, and the hand scuttled off.

"Dillon! You okay?" Scott called as they ran to his side.

"Guys!" Nora yelled, having been chasing it. "It's going for the laser torch!" she warned them, and their eyes widened.

"It found it!" Flynn yelped, and they were forced to scatter for cover.

"Of all the times to not have Chase's power," Teddie grumbled as she ducked behind Scott's car. Nora ran past, swinging her sword, but was knocked to the ground when the hand reacted faster. "Nora!" Teddie yelled, leaping up, but Dillon got there first, Morphed and ready to use his suit's special power.

"Activate Invincibility!" he yelled, raising an arm. The hand fired a blast, but it bounced harmlessly off. The shield shimmered, and vanished.

' _Nice shield_ ,' their eyes widened as they heard a familiar voice. ' _But that was five seconds, Ranger Black. Your time is up_ ,' she told him.

"So is yours! Ready Doc?" Dillon yelled.

" _Shall we begin_?" Dr. K's voice echoed through the Garage. Dillon yanked open the fridge behind him, and the cannon emerged.

" _You've got to be kidding me_!" Tenaya cried out, before the blast from the cannon hit the hand. Sparking, the hand crashed to the ground, and the Rangers laughed.

"Black, Green and Mercury, hold on fire zone perimeter. The rest of us are going to Zords," Scott told the team. Teddie stomped on the hand, destroying it completely.

"Well, that was amusing," Nora commented as she watched them leave, a hand on her hip.

1-2-3-4-5

"Soldiers, fall back to the safety zone!" Colonel Truman ordered, and the soldiers rushed back out of the way.

"Combine weapons!" Scott shouted as the Nozbot turned to them. The four combined their weapons, forming a much more powerful one. "Road Blaster! Engine Cell Activate!"

"Road Blaster!" they fired a powerful blast, causing the robot to explode. However, it reappeared straight after, and they called on their Zords.

"High Octane Megazord!" the three formed the Megazord as Teddie flew overhead.

"Uh, guys!" Teddie spotted the Drones flying in, and they started to take fire as she managed to avoid the shots.

"Doc, we need some firepower here," Dillon called to Dr. K. "Do you think I can handle my Zord?" he asked.

' _It has a steering wheel, so you should be able to drive it, right_?' Dr. K replied dryly. Dillon smirked as Ziggy and Arianna laughed.

"Now you're talking," Dillon glanced to Ziggy, and the two called on their own Zords.

"Oh I am not enjoying this!" Teddie groaned as she flew around, dodging the drones.

' _Ranger White_ ,' she glanced down at the Doctor's call. ' _Rangers Green and Black have called on their Zords. Join them_ ,' Teddie grinned at the order.

"You got it!" she flew down low, helping to take out the drones that came by air and on the ground, as their attention was divided.

"Super Sabre!" the Megazord recovered from the barrage of strikes, and flew at the Nozbot, destroying it with powerful strikes.

* * *

"Now, I'm proud of you boys," Flynn laughed as the Rangers returned to base. "You did good, eh?" he ruffled Ziggy's hair, and the Green Ranger swatted him away.

"Sucks that you don't have a Zord yet 'Anna," Teddie patted her shoulder.

"Oh, it's okay, I'm happy leaving the hard work to you guys," she smiled, making the Rangers laugh even more.

"Doc K..." they looked around as Dillon approached, looking sheepish. "I uh...I owe you an apology," he admitted as he stood in front of the computer screen.

" _No_..." Dr. K's voice was resigned. " _I owe all of you something_ ," the computer screen suddenly switched off, followed by the rest of the screens. Nobody spoke, confused, before the doors to the lab opened.

Scott, pushed ahead by Flynn, led the way into the lab as the group looked around curiously. They were joined by Nora; all of them wondering just what was going on. Nobody spoke as they looked around, before a door they hadn't seen before opened with a loud hiss.

"Ok, so am I the only one completely freaked out?" Teddie mumbled as they followed Scott over to it.

"Uh, I'm gonna say no," Ziggy muttered.

"Dr. K?" Scott frowned as he peered into a small room and spun an empty chair around. Teddie's head lifted higher as she sensed someone else in the room. She looked around, and frowned.

"Uh...guys?"

" _Hello Rangers_ ," before they could react to Teddie, another voice spoke up and they all spun around to see a girl younger than them standing in a white lab coat too big for her, over what looked like a uniform. She had black hair roughly cut into a bob, and wore a large headset. " _I'm Dr. K_ ," the girl announced, and her voice was altered by the microphone, causing her to sound like the voice that had come from the computers. " _What_?" she frowned when they all gaped at her, and moved the microphone out of the way. "You thought I'd be taller?" she asked them innocently.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	6. Ranger Green

**I'm very close to finishing Ranger Mercury, so I figured I'd update!  
**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Ranger Green

Taking a deep breath, Teddie listened to her surroundings, feeling for what she was looking for.

At the last second, she dove to the left, avoiding a blast of golden light that flew past where she had standing, immediately warming the surrounding area. Teddie rolled along and pushed back up to her feet, throwing out a hand. Light shimmered from her palm, and a ball of light flew from it, flying through the air and narrowly missing a young man who moved to the side to dodge it.

"Nice shot," he grinned, his accent the same as Teddie's, and she grinned back.

"Same to you. I almost didn't pick you up in time," she admitted, making her brother laugh.

"Sure Ted," Chase shook his head. "You don't need to feed my ego," he told her, and Teddie's grin widened as she faced him.

"But Oli isn't going to, someone needs to make sure you don't break down," she teased. Chase rolled his eyes, and Teddie threw another energy-ball. Chase barely dodged it.

"Oh, playing dirty," he commented. "Two can play that way," a black and gold aura surrounding him, and with a chirping noise, his Animal Spirit, a Kiwi, burst free and rushed at Teddie.

"Yeah they can," Teddie summoned her Nightingale Spirit, and the two collided in the forest area, weaving around the trees as the two continued to spar. Teddie ducked under Chase's punch as he reached her as well, and she kicked him back. She went to punch him, only to be repelled by his shield. Teddie's grin only grew as she pushed herself back up, and she moved her hands, before shoving them down to face the ground. She disappeared a gust of leaves, and Chase looked around, trying to detect his sister.

"Where'd you go..." he murmured.

"Boo!" Teddie popped out to his side and caught his punch, forcing him into an armlock behind his back as the Nightingale Spirit managed to knock the Kiwi back down.

"Okay, you win this time," Chase laughed, and their Spirits vanished as Teddie let him up.

"Woo, I needed that," Teddie stretched, jogging over to where her bag was.

"Can't you do magic training with Nora?" Chase asked, lifting a bottle of water to chug. "Oh," he realised, lowering the bottle and rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand. "You realise you're gonna have to tell them eventually right? You and I both know that it doesn't stay secret, and we're terrible about using our powers," he reminded her. Teddie sighed irritably.

"I know," she grumbled.

"And do they know Heckyl's, y'know, a former homicidal maniac who spent months trying to kill us?" Chase pushed with a cheerful smile.

"They've not met him yet, and if you call him that again, _I'll_ become the homicidal maniac who _will_ kill you," Teddie warned him sharply, and he laughed.

"Chill Ted, I'm kidding. Mostly. But you're close to like, the only two aliens left on the planet. That's bound to raise suspicion at some point," Chase continued.

"I know!" Teddie groaned loudly. "I'll handle it. But right now, I want to wait till Dillon and Ziggy are settled in before I start dropping bombshells about my colourful past. With Dillon being a hybrid and Ziggy not even wanting to be a Ranger in the first place...they need the time to adjust," she told her brother.

"I get that," he nodded. "Just don't shut the team out Teddie," Chase told her, putting a hand on his twin's shoulder.

"I won't," Teddie told him, managing a small smile, and checked her watch. "I better get back to the Garage, I got suit training with the Doc right after Ziggy," she said.

" _Suit_ training. Weird that all your Ranger suits come with special powers," Chase snorted.

"Bro," the White Ranger shot him a droll stare. "You realise that we're biologically younger than we should be, because we stopped ageing for a year, right? And that our many great grandad is alive, _and_ looks our age?" she challenged, making him laugh.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll catch you later. Don't forget we're all meeting up tomorrow," he told her, and Teddie saluted as she lifted her bag.

"Assuming Venjix doesn't cause more trouble, I'll be there. Now come on, let's get back to town," she told him.

* * *

Nora flipped through the tablet, a little bored as the most of the Rangers took it easy. Teddie had left early for training with Chase, Flynn was out visiting his dad while Arianna was spending some time with Philip, and Scott and Summer were watching TV. Dillon was in his room, and Ziggy was training, leaving Nora to catch up on what she'd missed over the last year.

"Hey Nora," she looked up as Spencer approached her.

"I thought you were with the Colonel today," she commented, setting the tablet down. "What's up?" she asked him.

"I'm just calling in on my way to meet up with Annie and Sky, hoping they haven't killed each other," Spencer mused, glancing away as he considered this, before shaking his head. Nora grinned. "Anyway, I wanted to drop off this for you, mum found it and thought you'd want it," Nora's eyes widened at the camera he was offering.

"No way! I can have this?" she asked, her eyes lit up. Spencer chuckled.

"Yeah, mum thought you'd like something to keep you entertained, and it didn't seem like you came to Corinth with one," he nodded, and was surprised when Nora threw her arms around him.

"It's awesome, thank you," she smiled, brighter than she'd done in a while. "This is so cool," Nora began to examine it.

"Well enjoy, I better get out there," Spencer grinned, leaving her to it.

"What's with the camera?" Scott approached her, curious as Nora seemed to study the camera in great detail.

"I uh," Nora glanced up, resting the camera on her lap. "I'm an amateur photographer. Or I was. Emphasis on amateur, I'm really not great," she laughed weakly. "My mum was always crazy into her film-making, even made a couple of movies, I couldn't get into that but I loved taking pictures. I can't believe Ari remembered," she looked down at the camera.

"Mind if I take a look?" Scott asked. Nora handed it over, and he took a look. "It's a pretty good model. I'm no expert, but it looks good," Nora's smile was still bright as he handed it back. "You just need a memory card for it. Doctor K might have one in the lab," he told her.

"Thanks Scott," Nora stood, and went to the lab. "Hey, Doctor? You don't..." she paused, blinking rapidly as Dr. K looked fed up, and Ziggy stood in the middle of the lab. "You know what? Nothing's important enough to be in here right now," she turned on her heel and strode back out. Ziggy wondered what her problem was, before realising that while his suit had teleported, _he_ had not, leaving him in his helmet and his underwear.

"Are you alright Nora?" Summer asked as she saw Nora leaving the lab quickly.

"I need eye-bleach," she declared. Summer and Scott exchanged baffled looks.

* * *

Teddie stretched as she walked into the Garage, ready to grab food and relax after training.

"Afternoon Ted, where'd you head off to?" Flynn greeted with a smile as she approached him.

"Met up with my bro, I'm starved now," she reached out and grabbed an apple, biting into it. "How was your dad?" she asked.

"Ah, the usual, hard at work in his own garage," Teddie laughed, before they heard the alarm blare. "Alright, what's on the menu today good Doctor?" the two walked over as Flynn looked up at the screen. Teddie sighed and poked him, gesturing to the short girl glowering at him. "I'm sorry, I'm just so used to you being-"

"Did you think she was a dude?" Ziggy asked as Dr. K walked away.

"Why did she have to be a dude? Women are smart too," Teddie frowned at him.

"I-I know, I just meant that-"

"It's some kind of magnetic disturbance," Dr. K spoke up, saving Ziggy from himself. The others walked over to her, looking up at the computer screen as she looked into it.

"Yeah, we have infiltration, it's a Venjix Attack Bot," Scott rolled his eyes.

"It's storming the city's central computer banks," Summer realised.

"It could get the Shield Codes from there, and then we're in for it," Teddie gulped. "Doctor, can you call Arianna and let her know to meet us there?" she asked. Dr. K nodded, and they hurried off.

* * *

People ran screaming through town as the latest Attackbot used its magnetic powers to pull cars and other objects towards it, disrupting the peace of the day.

' _I'm jamming any transmissions it's trying to send back to Venjix, but that thing cannot be allowed to escape the city with those shield codes_ ,' Dr. K warned them. ' _You will need to use Series Green's Teleportation abilities to bypass the machine's magnetic interference_ ,' she instructed as they reached the area.

"On it," Scott confirmed. "Ziggy, we need you to teleport behind that thing and take it out," he told the Green Ranger, who nodded slowly, his nerves showing in his stance. Dillon put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ziggy, you up for this?" he asked. Ziggy nodded quickly.

"Absolutely! Let's do this!" he shouted.

"Okay..." Teddie bit her lip, hearing the uncertainty in his voice. "We'll distract it as best we can," she told him, turning and rushing towards the Attackbot. The others followed, leaving Ziggy to activate his teleportation.

"Lock and load!" they called on their Nitro Blasters, but before they could fire, the Attackbot spotted them and activated its magnetic powers, and the Rangers struggled to hold onto their weapons.

"Okay, might have been a bad idea to try metal weapons against this dude!" Teddie yelped as she was dragged along, fighting to hold onto her Nitro Blaster. Behind them, Ziggy vanished, but didn't reappear near them.

"Where'd he go?" Summer grunted as she was pulled forwards.

"Ziggy, can you read me?" Scott called, struggling as well.

"Where are you man?" Flynn yelled.

"Jet Fists!" the robot made a noise almost like a shriek as Arianna caught it from behind with a powerful punch. The Rangers stumbled backwards as the pull on their weapons vanished. "Are you guys okay?" Arianna ran over to them as the Attackbot ran off.

"We're fine," Teddie nodded.

' _Rangers, report_ ,' Dr. K contacted them as they got back to their feet.

"We're fine, Doc K," Scott answered. "The Venjix Attackbot-"

"The Giant Magnet ran away," Flynn answered for Scott, and the group all looked at him. He paused as he realised what he'd said, and went red. "I cannot believe I just said that aloud..." he muttered, and with a small laugh, Scott patted his shoulder.

"Um, guys? Where's Ziggy?" Arianna asked, noticing they were missing a Ranger, and they looked around, but there was no sign of him.

* * *

Spencer pinched the bridge of his nose as he stood beside Dillon, who looked as exasperated as Spencer felt.

"It was a mistake! I couldn't teleport back into that vault if I tried," he insisted as Summer took a seat beside the Colonel. Dillon leaned on the table beside them, and Teddie rested Doctor K's screen on the table as Colonel Truman watched with a highly unimpressed expression. "I'm not a criminal, I'm just...incompetent," he mumbled.

"Doctor K, can you vouch for this?" Colonel Truman asked in a calm voice as he watched the Green Ranger squirming under their gazes.

" _I can definitely vouch for the incompetent part_ ," Doctor K stated coldly. " _As far as being a criminal...I can't say_ ," she added.

"I can," they looked around as Sky approached.

"Sky?" Spencer straightened up, surprised.

"What's this about, Tate?" Colonel Truman asked. While the two were technically on an equal level of command – Sky had been the Commander of SPD, after all – Colonel Truman usually took charge, and sometimes found it hard to share command with someone so young.

"I finally got the background checks on Ziggy Grover back," Ziggy went pale as the stern young man's blue eyes landed on him. "Last year, when Corinth's shields went up, you came here with Fresno Bob and his Scorpion Cartel," he accused. Spencer hissed a curse.

"You mean the mobsters who are trying to get control of this city?" Teddie asked, her eyes wide, before her fists clenched and she looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. Spencer put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's not all. Every single member of the five Cartels wants you dead," Sky handed Spencer his tablet, and the former Ranger whistled as he read over it quickly.

"What the hell could you have done to have this much of a threat over your head?" he asked Ziggy, but to their surprise, he just looked away, a stubborn look setting his jaw. "Okay, Sky?" Spencer glanced to his leader.

"Take Annie and Bridge," Sky nodded, and Spencer walked off.

* * *

"Urgh, the level of crime in this room alone is making me ill," Annie grumbled as the three former Rangers were led to Fresno Bob. "Was it wise leaving Teddie there with the kid? You know she has a grudge against the Cartels," she reminded Spencer.

"She's not the only one. They tried robbing JKP, they're lucky they weren't put through the walls," Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but we all know another reason why she doesn't like them. Same reason we're all having to be more careful," Annie muttered, and Bridge squeezed her hand.

"Oh, if it isn't the Former _B-Squad_ , calling in for a visit," Fresno Bob smiled as the three reached him. They were almost surprised that he knew them, considering their civilian attire, but he was the head of the most powerful Cartel in Corinth, it made sense. The large man was sitting in the middle of the small crowds gathered around. "And I hear you promised a cease-fire, how generous of you," he smirked. Nearby, a couple of men snickered, but paled as Annie glared at them, and scattered.

"It's not a social call, but we're glad you could make the time in your schedule," Bridge smiled pleasantly at him, and Spencer snorted. "We're here to find out Ziggy Grover," Fresno Bob's smirk faded, and everyone within listening distance tensed. Annie and Spencer resisted their smirks at how easily Bridge had gotten under Fresno Bob's skin and helped to tell them more than the man planned on.

"I heard he was back in town," Fresno Bob gave a light shrug of his shoulders, trying to seem like he didn't care. "Little rat is lucky he's still in one piece," he mused.

"So what has he done to deserve not being in one piece?" Bridge asked. Fresno Bob sighed.

"Alright, I'll tell you. It's not like it's any secret," he admitted. "There was this truck," he stated.

"Truck?" Annie repeated.

"Yep. We had a truck secured, with important cargo. This was a big deal, all five Cartels were in on it," Fresno Bob admitted. "I sent Ziggy to pick it up. It was his final test to prove himself," he explained.

"And what happened?" Spencer asked, finding himself curious. Fresno Bob sighed, shrugging again.

"I think you can guess," he rolled his eyes. Bridge glanced to Annie, who frowned.

"Give us a hint?" she asked.

"What can I say?" Fresno Bob shrugged. "The kid's just no good. All that power, all that responsibility...he got greedy. He had to have it all for himself," he growled.

"So Ziggy managed to steal this...cargo. From all five cartels," Spencer didn't hide his disbelief.

"Think what you want, Bly," his eyes narrowed at Fresno Bob calling him by name. "But we never located that cargo, and shortly after, the kid disappeared from the town. Figured he was safer in the Waste," he shrugged.

"I guess that's all that the Colonel and Sky will want," Bridge shrugged. "Thank you for your time," he smiled.

"Any time, Carson," Fresno Bob smirked at him. Annie rolled her eyes. "Bly," he called as they went to leave, and he turned around with a frown. "That pretty little sister of yours, the White Power Ranger. She has some interesting friends," he commented, and the laughter started up again. Annie started for him, but Bridge caught her arm, shaking his head. Spencer watched him for a moment, silent, before giving a dangerous smile and adjusting his glasses.

"Be careful, _Bob_ ," he warned, his voice dripping with a warning under the pleasantry. "If you do anything to hurt her or them, no cease-fire in the world will keep you safe," Spencer warned, and they started to walk away.

"I survived Venjix once, I'll do it again," Fresno Bob mocked.

"I wasn't talking about Venjix. I was talking about me," the man's smirk faded as Spencer shot him a dark look. "Let's get back," without waiting for the boss to come up with a reply, the three left.

"What a creep," Annie hissed.

"Yep, and now we know Ziggy worked for him, and ended up stealing from them," Spencer growled, his eyes dark with his barely repressed anger.

* * *

" _Well, that settles it_ ," Doctor K spoke up when Spencer relayed the information to the group. Ziggy had remained silent even then. " _Colonel, please remove the Series Green Morpher from his wrist. He is suspended indefinitely from Project Ranger_ ," she instructed. Even the Colonel looked surprised at the order.

"Come on Doc, we don't even know for sure what happened," Dillon scowled as Ziggy looked helplessly to the other three. Teddie just glanced away, looking conflicted.

" _We don't know, because he won't tell us_ ," Doctor K pointed out. Colonel Truman held out his hand, and Ziggy looked worried as he looked down at the Morpher still attached to his wrist. With a defeated sigh, he unstrapped it and held it out.

' _Guys, come in_!' Flynn contacted them suddenly as Colonel Truman took the Morpher. ' _Sorry to tense it up with more bad news_!' he shouted, and there were sounds of him, Scott and Arianna fighting that echoed from Teddie's Morpher. ' _Dr. K, you know that big Venjix magnet we were looking for?_ ' there were more yells and crashes.

' _Well, we just found it_!' Scott shouted.

' _And we could use a hand or two! It's got Grinders helping it now_!' Arianna warned. ' _And Siren just showed up_ ,' she groaned.

"We're on the way," Summer told them.

"What about Ziggy?" Teddie asked softly, still not meeting Ziggy's gaze.

"I'll keep an eye on him, till we sort this whole thing out," Colonel Truman told them as Spencer let them out. They nodded, but as Summer and Dillon ran on, Spencer caught Teddie.

"Don't judge him so easily," he whispered to her. "There's more to this than we know. Don't let your feelings on the Scorpion Cartel blind you Teddie," he warned.

"I'm trying..." she nodded, looking at the ground.

"We'll get this all sorted out," he told her, and Teddie nodded, managing a small smile before following the Yellow and Black Rangers out. Spencer sighed, glancing back to Ziggy, who was still keeping quiet as the Colonel continued to press him.

* * *

Scott and Flynn were quickly running out of energy as the Attackbot continued to throw them around. They cried out as they were tossed to the ground again, forced to push themselves back up.

"You seem to be missing a few," Siren smirked as she caught Arianna's punch.

"They'll be here," Arianna warned her, her eyes narrowed as she pushed back against the feminine robot. "What about you? No Tenaya this time?" she asked, kicking her back.

"I don't need Tenaya to win against you, princess," Siren sneered as she recovered. "I'm Generation 8, I'm a whole different level of danger," she warned, letting out a scream. Arianna was thrown backwards, slamming into Flynn and Scott and bringing them down.

"Sorry!" she yelped as Siren laughed, rubbing her throat idly.

"Rocket Hammer!" Siren's laugh was cut off as Teddie's powerful hammer slammed into her from behind. She cried out, colliding with the pile of junk. "Back off," Teddie warned her, resting her hammer over her shoulder. Siren growled as she got back up, and nearby, Summer and Dillon joined in to fight against the magnetic Attackbot.

"No matter, you still won't win," Siren got up, brushing off her coat. "You're still weak!" she rushed Teddie, who dodged and swung her hammer hard. Siren moved around it, grabbing Teddie and shoving her back. "I'd have thought you'd be used to the failure by now," she mocked Teddie.

"What are you talking about?" Teddie questioned. "We've beaten you every time," she pointed out, and Siren laughed.

"Me, maybe, but Venjix, not so much. How does it feel, Ranger?" she asked, getting in close. "For your whole family, to have failed so spectacularly against Venjix, after all your other victories?" Siren's soft question made Teddie go rigid.

"How could you-the Ranger files," Teddie realised, her heart pounding. Siren chuckled.

"Yep, they're all in here," she tapped her head. "I know _all_ about you, little White Ranger. Stopped someone millennia old from getting some of the most dangerous powers on the planet, only to fail to stop a _computer virus_ from destroying what you so desperately tried to protect," Siren whispered.

" _Stop_!" everyone heard Teddie's scream as she stumbled away from Siren.

' _Ranger White, your power is fluctuating dangerously,_ ' Dr. K warned her as Teddie put her hands to her helmet.

"How many people died because you didn't protect them?" Siren challenged her, following Teddie as she backed away.

"Stop it...I _tried_!"

"Teddie!" Arianna ran towards her.

"How many of your friends died because of you?" Siren continued to push, and Teddie let out a scream. A powerful shock-wave burst from her, hitting everyone around. The Rangers cried out as they were thrown away, and Siren landed several feet away, groaning. The Grinders that were hit were all destroyed, but the Attackbot survived. The Rangers demorphed, and Teddie sank to her knees, her own suit shattering as tears ran down her face. "Pathetic," Siren mocked as she got up. "Let's go," she ordered the Attackbot, and they walked off.

"What the hell was _that_?" Dillon demanded as Arianna crouched beside Teddie.

"Teddie's suit's power," Summer spoke softly.

"It almost took us out," Dillon stared at Teddie, who was trying to stop her tears furiously.

"Aye, that's why the lass doesn't use it," Flynn sighed. "She doesn't quite have a grasp on it," he commented.

"That's for sure," Dillon frowned as Arianna hugged Teddie tightly.

"I'm sorry," Teddie whispered.

"It's not your fault. What did she say to you?" Arianna asked, curious to know what had set off the White Ranger.

"She knew. About before," Teddie wiped her eyes. "She has access to the Ranger files," Arianna put her hand to her mouth in horror.

"Teddie, this isn't your fault," she insisted, and Teddie nodded.

"That's what everyone says but...it doesn't make me feel better," her fists clenched, and her eyes darkened. "But beating the crap out of Siren will," she growled, and Arianna managed a small smile. She got to her feet, and helped Teddie up.

"You okay?" Scott asked as the others decided it was safe to approach.

"I'm sorry. She just took me by surprise. I've got it on lockdown," Teddie promised them, and Scott nodded, giving her a small smile.

"I know. Let's go," he told the team, and they hurried off after Siren and the Attackbot. "We're not done yet!" Scott yelled as the Attackbot reached the gates.

"Great," Siren rolled her eyes, hidden by her mask. "Take care of them, would you?" she grumbled, and the new wave of Grinders rushed the Rangers. "Done with your little tantrum?" she mocked Teddie, but was surprised when Teddie rushed her and slammed a powerful kick against her side.

"You caught me off guard, but it won't happen again," she vowed, and Siren chuckled.

"I don't need to take you by surprise to win," she told the White Ranger, shoving her back. Teddie pushed forwards again, punching her hard. Siren scowled at the power behind each of Teddie's attacks, and continued to fight her, not admitting her surprise.

"It's trying to hot-wire the gate!" Scott's warning alerted the rest to the Attackbot trying to escape. They stood together, with Scott, Flynn and Summer lifting their Morphers while the others raised their wrists. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the group Morphed, and continued to fight.

* * *

"Ranger White's power levels are stable again," Dr. K commented as she continued to monitor the fight, while working to fight the Attackbot's attempts to open the gate. Nora folded her arms, wondering just what had happened in the fight. She'd wondered about Teddie's suit power, since the others had freely used theirs, but Teddie had not.

Nora was snapped from her thoughts by a buzzing noise, and frowned, looking up. Dr. K grumbled at the interruption, and checked the camera to see a man in a suit with sunglasses at the door. "Yes?" she asked quickly, taking him by surprise as Nora walked over to see.

"Hi, I'm Benny, I used to work with Ziggy," he spoke quietly, a worried look on his face.

"I'm a little busy saving the human race right now, Benny," Dr. K rolled her eyes.

"Listen, it's important! Can you come outside and talk to me?" he pleaded.

"I don't go outside," Dr. K replied, not looking up from her work.

"You don't go outside when?" Benny frowned, not understanding what she meant.

"Ever," she told him impatiently.

"Well, then," Benny looked a bit confused by her words. "Please, can you let me in?" he pleaded, and Dr. K looked at Nora, who shrugged. She then sighed, and opened the door.

"I'll get my sword," Nora walked off.

* * *

The Rangers continued to fight the Attackbot, working together to throw it around the place.

"Jet Fists!" Arianna connected a powerful punch, and Flynn and Scott rammed it backwards into Summer's attack, before Dillon leapt in and bombarded it with a series of rapid punches.

"Swap with Teddie," Scott called to Arianna, who nodded and ran off to swap with Teddie, who was still fighting off Siren and slowly overwhelming her. Flynn then hauled the Attackbot into the air with one hand, allowing Scott to kick it hard. The Attackbot landed nearby, as the four Rangers combined their weapons.

"Let's end this!" Teddie called.

"Got something for ya!" Flynn laughed. "Engine Cell Activate!" he inserted his Engine Cell to activate the powerful weapon.

"Road Blaster, Fire!" the blue attack slammed into the Attackbot, causing it to explode. However, moments later, it returned, growing much larger.

"We've got this, go!" Dillon shouted to the others.

"Right!" Scott, Summer and Flynn called on their Megazord, and Teddie used her Zord as backup.

"Super Sabre!" they grabbed the weapon, only for it to be yanked away from them. "Oh no! Not exactly what I had in mind," Flynn groaned, and the Attackbot lashed out at Teddie, who yelped and swerved to avoid the sword.

"Not cool!" she cried.

* * *

Benny nervously eyed Nora, who was standing with her arms folded beside Dr. K, looking like a bodyguard with the long sword by her side.

"What do you want?" Dr. K asked impatiently.

"Ziggy is in trouble," Benny told them.

"I'll say," Dr. K rolled her eyes with an almost smile.

"No, I mean, Fresno Bob has him at Cartel Headquarters," Benny groaned, impatient to get his warning out. He glanced to Nora, whose arms fell to her sides. "He's gonna make an example out of him" he warned, looking terrified.

"You care about him, don't you?" Nora accused him.

"I was the one stupid enough to bring him to Fresno Bob in the first place," Benny admitted, his guilt obvious. "It's all my fault...now they're gonna kill him, for what he did," he warned.

"We know what he did," Dr. K frowned. "He took the shipment inside that truck for himself," she reminded the man, who sighed.

"Yeah, he took what was in the truck," Benny begrudgingly admitted. Dr. K rolled her eyes in exasperation. "But not for himself. It were medical supplies. Millions of dollars worth," even the small Doctor was taken aback by Benny's confession. "There was an outbreak of Radiation Sickness, at the Orphanage," Nora put her hand to her face. "So you see, he couldn't tell nobody else, or else the Cartels would come after the Orphanage, or the kids. I helped him out of the city after that. I dunno what happened to him, and I don't know why he came back. I just know he's gonna be sorry he ever did," he sighed.

" _Dammit_!" he jumped as Nora yelled loudly. "That dammed _idiot_! I'm going to kill him myself!" she declared furiously.

"Miss?" Benny gulped.

"Me. Me and Dillon, we're the reason why the stupid...stupid...I'm going to get him," Nora stormed towards the door.

"Wait," Dr. K sighed, and Nora looked around as she approached, offering something. "Give this to him? And try not to hurt him too badly," Nora couldn't help but laugh.

"Careful Doc, you sound like you care," she teased.

"Absurd," Dr. K rolled her eyes, and Nora ran off.

* * *

By the time she snuck into the building that the Cartels used for meetings, the place was filled with members of the five ruthless gangs that had terrorised Corinth since they had arrived. Hiding behind a wall, Nora took in the sight of the scrawny boy, back in his normal clothes, surrounded by the large gangsters.

"All you need to know, _Bob_ , is that I'd do it again," Nora had to give Ziggy credit; his voice was completely steady as he spoke to Fresno Bob.

"No Ziggy," the man turned away with a heavy sigh. "You're not going to do anything, ever again," Fresno Bob told him as he stepped away, indicating to the other men to grab him.

"You take one more step and none of you will do anything, ever again," all of them spun around as Nora stepped out into view, her arms crossed.

"Nora!" Ziggy stared at her as the men started to laugh.

"And you're going to stop us?" one asked. Nora rolled her eyes.

"I'd recommend you move," she told Ziggy, her hands raised. He gulped, and rushed away, diving behind a counter. "I owe that idiot my life, so consider this a warning," Ziggy peeked out as she began to chant in a strange language, and her hands began to glow. Fire burst from her hands and made the mobsters shriek, scattering. One ran at her, only to immediately retreat as she moved a hand and the flames burst up between them.

"Little freak!" one rushed at her, a bat raised. Before he realised it, her sword was drawn, and she was behind him. His bat fell in pieces, and Nora straightened up, turning to them.

"Anyone else?" she challenged as they fought the flames that wouldn't go out.

"H-hold on little lady," Fresno Bob gulped, his toupee in his hands as he stared at her, terrified. "Wh-what is it exactly that you want?" he asked her, his voice trembling.

"Him," Nora glanced to Ziggy, who was peeking out. He straightened up, and clambered out from behind the counter, falling with a yelp. She gave a heavy sigh as he pushed himself up quickly, and went to her side.

"What's this little rat got to do with you?" Fresno Bob frowned, not understanding.

"I told you, I owe him," Nora snapped her fingers, and the flames vanished, leaving scorches all around the room. "Now, if you think about going after him again, remember that this," she gestured to the burned room. "Was only a warning. You don't mess with a Mystic," with that, Nora grabbed Ziggy's wrist and left the terrified cartel to assess the damage.

"That was amazing!" Ziggy couldn't help but laugh as he followed Nora away. "How did you do it? The fire, you just made it happen! That was-ow!" he yelped as Nora spun around and punched him hard in the shoulder.

"You _dumbass_!" she yelled, her fury making her eyes blaze. He shrank away from her, which only made her anger grow. "Don't look at me like that!" Nora stomped her foot. "I'm so mad at you, you could have _trusted_ us with what was in the truck!" she shouted at him.

"How did you-"

"It doesn't matter! And then you came _back_! You came back just to show me and Dillon how to get here! You're a damn idiot, Ziggy!" she shouted at him. He stared at her, stunned by her words.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured.

"Don't you dare," Nora warned, her voice shaking as tears swam in her eyes. "The only thing you should apologise for is not trusting us to help you with this. Now, go help your team," she shoved something at him, and Ziggy's eyes widened as he took his Morpher from her. He smiled brightly at her, and suddenly hugged her. "Get off me, you idiot," she pushed him away, and he laughed, reattaching the Morpher to his wrist.

"Thanks Nora," he grinned, and ran off to help as she rolled her eyes.

"Idiot," she muttered.

* * *

Still using the Super Sabre, the Attackbot lashed out and hit the Megazord, making them cry out in alarm.

"Our targeting and guidance systems are out!" Scott groaned.

"I'm hit!" Teddie cried out as her jet veered off course after a lucky strike from the Attackbot. It then turned and lunged at the other three again, only to be blasted from the side before it could reach them.

"It's Black and Green!" Scott grinned, and Ziggy sped in, combining his Zord with the Megazord to form a new arm.

"You look good on us," Summer laughed.

"It throws the whole primary colour balance off," Flynn complained. "That's why we don't let Teddie combine with us," he commented.

"Hey!" Teddie complained. "You said it was because it was configured that way!" she whined. The Megazord rushed the Attackbot, and with a powerful strike, they disarmed it. The Super Sabre landed nearby, impaling the ground, and the Shark arm began to spin, allowing them to finish off the Attackbot with one final strike.

"Damn," Siren hissed, limping off as Arianna frowned, watching her.

* * *

Ziggy slumped down, exhausted after he'd been lectured by Scott and Dillon for what felt like an hour.

"Summer, I'm okay," he glanced up as Teddie soothed Summer with a weak smile. "It was nothing important," she insisted as the Yellow Ranger looked worried.

"It wasn't nothing, Teddie, she said something to make you lose control," Summer pressed.

"And it's fine now. She won't get to me like that again," Teddie insisted. "I told you, she just caught me off guard. Please, let's drop it," she pleaded with Summer, who sighed.

"You gotta let us in sometime," she warned, and walked away. Teddie groaned, and shook her head.

"I know..." she muttered under her breath, before realising Ziggy was watching her. "Hey," she approached him, and the Green Ranger automatically sat up straighter. "I wanted to apologise," she took a seat beside him, and he saw how tired she looked.

"What for?" he questioned, not understanding.

"For how I treated you, when you got arrested. I have...bad blood with the Cartels," Teddie shrugged, glancing away.

"Arianna," Ziggy realised, and Teddie nodded.

"Partly. Anyone remotely different is valuable to him, either as something to sell to collectors...or to fuel his own power grab," Teddie pointed out. Ziggy frowned, wondering who she meant, before glancing to Nora. She shook her head very slightly, and he kept quiet. "But that didn't give me the right to turn my back on you. I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Teddie promised, and he grinned.

"How I was acting, _I'd_ have turned on me," he told her, making Teddie smile slightly. "Don't worry about it. We're a team, right?" he asked, and her smile grew.

"Right," she slapped her hand to his. "I'm going to bed, that giant magnet was _exhausting_ ," she complained loudly.

"I'm never living that down, am I?" Flynn grumbled, and she grinned to him.

"Never," Teddie told him, walking off as Ziggy watched her.

"I really wouldn't go there," Nora warned as she approached him, taking a seat. Ziggy blushed, and turned back to her, trying to look innocent.

"Thank you, for helping me earlier," he told her honestly. Nora just shrugged, looking indifferent. "How did you do that stuff? With the fire? You called yourself a...Mystic?" Ziggy remembered. Nora nodded.

"I suppose I got carried away. So much for the secrets of it. I'm a witch," she told him.

"I mean, you can be a bit crabby, but I wouldn't go that far-"

"Gee, thanks," Nora rolled her eyes, but smiled slightly in amusement. "I mean it literally. I mean, I'm a Sorceress in training, or I was, until last year when Venjix attacked," she told him. "Fire Mystic, others call me. There's a lot of terms for it," Nora explained, shrugging lightly.

"That's so cool," Ziggy's eyes shone in awe. "Magic is really real..." he breathed.

"It's not that big a deal," Nora muttered. "Anyway, how about I teach you some basic fighting skills? You're kinda useless," she told him, and he frowned.

"You'd teach me?" he asked, and she nodded.

"It's kinda embarrassing, to know that I owe you and then watch you struggle to fight Grinders," Ziggy went red at her mocking. "I mean, it's only if you want," Nora shrugged, glancing away.

"Of course! That'd be awesome," he grinned again.

"Great. Then we'll start tomorrow. But anyway, please keep the whole magic thing a secret," she requested.

"Of course. Does this mean you trust me?" Ziggy grinned, and Nora rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut up," she stood abruptly. "I'm going to bed," she grumbled, walking off as Ziggy chuckled. She went into her room, shutting the door and leaning against it. "You idiot...of course I trust you..." Nora slid to the ground, putting her face in her hands.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! This was a fun one to write.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	7. Ranger Red

**So I finally finished writing Ranger Mercury! It ended up so long I split it into two parts.  
**

 **Anyway, I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Ranger Red

Dillon was forced to the side as Teddie's hammer came down where he'd been standing. If the ground wasn't reinforced, the White Ranger might have done some damage to it, but all that happened was a small tremor.

"You're dangerous with that thing," he complained as Teddie rested the powerful weapon over her shoulder.

"Kinda the point," she told him, and Dillon gave a small laugh before rushing her. Teddie ducked under his punch, dropping down to sweep his legs out from under him, but he jumped over her and caught her hammer. "Big mistake," Teddie giggled, and Dillon let out a cry before he could stop himself, as she swung her hammer, dragging him along with it. His grip slipped, and he skidded along the ground.

"Okay, that's it!" he recovered and caught the hammer, pulling it out of Teddie's grip. Surprised by the weight of it, Dillon was carried backwards before he caught himself, and used the weapon himself.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Teddie laughed as she was forced to avoid her own weapon.

"Nobody said I couldn't borrow your weapon," Dillon smirked as he now wielded the hammer effortlessly, thanks to his enhanced strength.

"Are you two going to take training seriously? Or do I have to separate you?" they glanced over as Dr. K let out an irritated huff, not looking up from her work.

"We are taking it seriously," Dillon told her.

"Using Ranger White's weapon against her doesn't seem like serious training," Dr. K fired back.

"It is when it teaches her to keep a better grip on it," Dillon smirked, before dodging Teddie's punch. The young genius sighed again as they continued to spar, shaking her head. She was spared more of their antics, however, as the alarm blared, and the two stopped messing to look around.

"Multiple readings around the city," Dr. K told them.

"Let's go," Teddie called to Dillon, and they hurried out, grabbing Flynn, Summer and Arianna on the way.

* * *

' _Flynn_ ,' the Blue Ranger lifted his Morpher as Scott contacted him, having been chasing the Attackbot with Ziggy. ' _Get the team together_ ,' the leader instructed.

"Aye, roger that," Flynn looked around. "We're just tidying up a bit over here," he told Scott as a Grinder flew past him. "Honestly lass, you have some kicks in you," he told Teddie as she moved past and knocked another to the ground.

"Then maybe you should learn to be nicer to me," Teddie replied with an innocent smile. Nearby, Arianna threw out a hand, and her Mercurian powers activated, slamming a jet of mercury into the Grinders rushing at her. She then dodged another as it threw itself at her, and she tripped it, connecting a punch to its back. The five Rangers then stood together, activating their Morphers.

"RPM! GET IN GEAR!" they Morphed and followed the co-ordinates that Dr. K sent to them. Meeting up with Scott and Ziggy at the co-ordinates, the group looked around.

"What's going on? This can't be right," Flynn frowned, not seeing the Attackbot. "The co-ordinates are right where we're standing," he contacted Dr. K, confused.

' _The co-ordinates are correct_ ,' the young doctor answered. They frowned, before Teddie's eyes widened as a shiver ran down her spine.

"Below us! It's underground!" she realised, gesturing to the ground.

' _Ranger White is correct, it's travelling north in a subterranean mining tunnel_ ,' Dr. K clarified. ' _28 meters below your current location_ ,' she added.

"Doc. K, Down-Morph the remote Croc Carrier Zord," Scott requested.

' _Down-Morphing and launching of new remote Zord initiated_ ,' she replied. Ziggy lifted the new Engine Cell she'd given him – with stern looks and warnings not to break it – to activate it.

"Let's see what this baby can do," he raised it, only for the Cell to start sparking orange violently.

"Ziggy!" Dillon caught the stumbling Green Ranger. Ziggy cried out in pain, forced to drop the Engine Cell as he clutched his hand close, and the ground shook.

"Move back now!" Teddie yelled, sensing something powerful moving towards them fast. The Croc Carrier burst from the ground, knocking them all to the ground.

"What happened?" Arianna gasped as they watched the massive orange Zord fly into the air.

' _The Croc Carrier malfunctioned. Misfired Zord will hit the city electric tower in 3, 2, 1...impact_ ,' Dr. K breathed in disbelief.

* * *

Alarms blared in the control centre as Annie and Syd looked quickly through the reports.

"We got Level 4 damage to the city's power grid," Annie warned, looking up at the Colonel.

"Drew?" he glanced to Syd.

"Civilians at the scene," she confirmed. Colonel Truman sighed, relaying the information back to Dr. K and the Rangers.

* * *

"We have to go back and help!" Teddie told her team.

"Yeah," the others nodded.

' _Negative, Rangers_ ,' they stopped as Dr. K spoke up. ' _You will continue pursuit of the escaping Attackbot, per my orders_ ,' she ordered.

" _Excuse_ me?" Teddie demanded, her disbelief obvious. "You cannot be serious. Those people need our help!" she exclaimed. "Scott?" she turned to their leader.

"Yeah, fearless leader, what do you say?" Dillon demanded. Scott looked away, a memory coming back to him.

"Scott?" Arianna tilted her head, speaking softly.

"Follow me," he told them, and they nodded.

* * *

People ran screaming away from the damaged tower, as debris continued to rain down, snapping off the damaged tower.

"I've got you!" Arianna lifted a small boy into her arms as Teddie smashed the debris away with her hammer. It landed with a clatter nearby, and Arianna brought the boy to his father, who stammered his thanks before Arianna shooed them away.

"This way!" Sky called, his authoritative voice filling the air and interrupting the cries of terror. The civilians followed him away, as Teddie continued to knock the debris away and Arianna helped anyone injured.

"I think that's everyone," the Mercury Ranger ran up to Scott.

"Great work," he called as they regrouped. "Doc K, threat is neutralised," Scott announced.

' _Negative, Ranger Series Red. You've allowed the target to escape, and from the look of it, it may be the most dangerous Attackbot Venjix has ever created_ ,' Dr. K warned them gravely.

* * *

"I thought Dr. K warned you to be careful with that thing," Nora commented as she set the first aid kit down and faced Ziggy.

"I was careful with it, the thing just exploded," Ziggy defended.

"I gotta agree with Ziggy on this," Dillon nodded, his arms folded. "He didn't do anything, this time," he commented.

"Exactly, than-hey, what do you meant ' _this time_ '?" Ziggy turned his head to frown at Dillon, who smirked as Nora rolled her eyes.

"Just sit still," she told Ziggy, who turned back to her as she treated the burn on his hand.

"Shouldn't we get Arianna for this?" Dillon asked as he watched Nora root around the first aid kit.

"She's with her boyfriend," Nora replied shortly. "And I know what I'm doing. This will hurt," she warned Ziggy as she poured a strong-smelling liquid onto a wad of cotton wool.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle it," he gave a confident smile. Nora arched her eyebrow, meeting his gaze with a sceptical look. She then pressed the wad to his hand, and Ziggy jerked, biting back a squeal of pain. Dillon snorted, and turned, leaving them to it as Ziggy went pale.

"Huh. You handled that better than out in the Waste," Nora commented mildly, cleaning the burn more gently now. Ziggy just let out a whimper in response. "Don't worry, Dillon left, you don't need to act all macho," she smirked, and the Green Ranger glared at her feebly.

* * *

"Hey, Dr. K? Aren't you going to get some sleep too?" the girl was snapped from her thoughts by Spencer, who had walked into the lab when he realised that she was still awake.

"Can't," she answered, resuming her work. "I'm trying to uncover the cause of the Croc Carrier's catastrophic malfunction," she explained. Spencer hummed, and walked over.

"Want a hand?" he offered. Dr. K paused, and turned her attention to him, looking dubious.

" _You_ want to help?" she asked, not bothering to hide her disbelief.

"Sure," Spencer nodded. "I'm not just a pretty face, Dr. K, I know a few things," he told her. Dr. K rolled her eyes.

"I don't doubt it, but this is far too advanced for a soldier-"

"The energy levels," she stopped as Spencer spoke again. "They're all wrong. Take a look," Spencer gestured to the screens. She frowned, looking to where he was gesturing, before her eyes widened.

"You're right. I miscalculated the energy levels required to properly power the remote carrier," she realised. "How did..." Dr. K trailed off, turning to look at Spencer again.

"I'm not just a soldier, Doc," he told her softly. "Now how about you let me help? Everyone makes mistakes, even you," Spencer told her. Dr. K's eyes darkened, and she looked back at the screen.

"Yes...I know..." she murmured, and Spencer's head tilted slightly as he wondered just he had reminded her of.

* * *

Teddie couldn't stop her sigh of frustration as she looked at her notebook, drumming her pencil on the table. Her mind was still on the previous day, and had been all night.

"Writers block?" she looked up as Ziggy took a seat, setting down his cereal.

"Nah..." Teddie sighed, resting her head in her hand as she balanced her elbow on the counter. "Just thinking about yesterday. How's the hand?" she asked, seeing the bandage around it.

"Barely even feel it," Ziggy told her, waving it and smiling brightly.

"Nora did a good job," Teddie commented, her eyes still on the bandage. The Green Ranger nodded, glancing at it.

"So what's got ya glaring at your book?" Ziggy asked her, and Teddie sighed heavily.

"Just about what happened. Being told to go after the Attackbot instead of helping people," she shrugged. "If Scott hadn't given the order to go back..." she trailed off, and sighed heavily. "I'd probably have done it anyway," she confessed. Ziggy's smile faded a little at her admittance.

"But..."

"I know, Scott's the leader, it's his call," Teddie rolled her eyes, drumming her pencil again. "I'm not...used to that," she muttered.

"But you've been part of this team for a year, haven't you?" Ziggy questioned as Teddie glowered at her book. She gave a small laugh.

"Yeah," she nodded, but her hand went to her chest, where her necklace was hidden under her shirt. Ziggy tilted his head, but before he could speak, the doors to the lab slid open. Spencer walked out, yawning widely.

"It's morning already? Damn," he mumbled, checking his watch.

"You don't look like you slept well bro," Teddie commented, closing her notebook over as she watched him.

"That's because I didn't sleep," Spencer admitted, running a hand down his face.

"What were you doing?" Ziggy asked curiously. Before Spencer could respond, Dr. K emerged from the lab as well.

"He was helping me. I have an explanation about why the Croc Carrier failed to work," she explained. Spencer nodded with another yawn. "Would you gather the others here?" she requested. Teddie sighed, getting up and going to find the others.

A few minutes later, the Rangers were all gathered around as Dr. K explained what had happened. Spencer was sitting on the stairs, his head back as he snored. Completely lost by what was going on and still tired, Ziggy had fallen asleep, his face in his breakfast.

"The energy to size ratio makes it impossible to power the Croc Carrier without an independently operated power entity aboard," Dr. K explained, ignoring the two sleeping as the rest tried to keep up.

"Doc, you said the whole unmanned Zord thing would work," Dillon reminded her of the last meeting they'd had. He frowned, wary as Dr. K nodded.

"Theoretically," she answered. Teddie frowned.

"I don't remember hearing that word the last time," she muttered, lifting her drink.

"But you said we'd be needing it," Flynn added as Dr. K glowered at the White Ranger.

"We will," Dr. K confirmed, making them all stare at her, confused.

"Then how do you possibly expect us-"

"Just relax guys," Summer spoke up to interrupt Flynn as he started to lose his patience. "If it were really impossible, she wouldn't be telling us. My guess is, it's just not going to be easy," the Yellow Ranger smiled.

"Correct," Dr. K nodded her confirmation. "It will require a remote flux over-thruster core reactor," she turned to the screen as a small device showed up on screen.

"Dude, good luck," Teddie snorted, drawing their attention. "There's no way we could find one of those in the city," she commented, her arms folded.

"We're not going to," Dr. K replied easily as Scott walked past her and stared up at the screens. "And we're not going to build one either," she added as Arianna went to suggest that.

"Look, Doc, the suspense is just killing me here," Dillon growled impatiently. "Do you know where we can get one of those things, or not?" he demanded. Dr. K met his glare easily, not intimidated by him.

"Nope," she answered honestly, taking him by surprise. "But he does," she glanced over her shoulder at Scott, who remained silent as they all looked to their leader curiously.

* * *

"How's the repairs to the tower coming along?" Annie asked Bridge as she peeked over his shoulder.

"Slowly. We just don't have the facilities to fix it fast enough," he sighed, leaning his head to hers. Annie smiled, taking his hand and squeezing it lightly.

"It'll get done. You're just being impatient," she told him.

"Things are definitely wrong when you're calling Bridge impatient," Z commented as she walked by. Annie rolled her eyes.

"She's right you know," Bridge commented, and Annie arched an eyebrow at him. "I mean...she's not right?" he tried.

"Better," Annie kissed his cheek. They looked up as Scott walked in, approaching the Colonel. "What's this all about?" the blonde wondered as Bridge got back to work.

"Probably about the remote flux over-thruster core reactor that was left in Scott's brother's jet when it went down at the Battle of Corinth," Bridge said quietly. Annie frowned, and turned to him.

"Okay, I know you're psychic, but this is a bit much, even for you," she complained. Bridge smiled at her.

"Spencer told me. Called and asked for some advice on what happened with the unmanned Zord Dr. K built," he told her.

"Oh," Annie looked a little surprised at how simple the answer was. "Good. You're weird enough," she told him, and Bridge tilted his head.

"I am?" he asked, making her smile and roll her eyes again.

"With respect Sir, I don't take orders from you anymore," they glanced up as Scott spoke to his father. "Not anymore, Sir," he said. Colonel Truman's eyebrow rose, and he looked amused.

"Really? Then why are you saluting?" he asked. Scott seemed to realise what he was doing, and dropped his hand to his side quickly.

"Look – listen – I _need_ those co-ordinates," Scott leaned on the table. "I need Eagle Squad's last known radar position before-"

"I don't care what kind of hardware Dr. K has given you," Colonel Truman interrupted. "Venjix will still pick up your team's Bio-signatures before you get three steps into the Waste," he pointed out. Scott's jaw tightened in a stubborn expression that he shared with his dad.

"But _not_ if I keep it small enough," Scott argued.

"One person. Alone," as Scott straightened up, the Colonel stood too. Annie rolled her eyes at the clear alpha behaviour. Scott nodded wordlessly. "No. We stay inside the dome, and defend the city. That's the plan. Hicks," Colonel Truman handed the CD over to Hicks, who took it and walked away. "You're not ready for this kind of thing, Scott. I know it, and Marcus knew it too," Colonel Truman told him as he lifted a report to read. Scott looked to the picture of his dad and older brother, before walking away without a word.

"Scott," he glanced to Annie as she stopped him with a quiet whisper. His eyes widened when she held out the CD to him, and he glanced to the Colonel, who was focused on what he was reading. Taking the CD from Annie, he mouthed thanks, tucking it under his jacket and walking off.

"How did you even get that?" Bridge asked as Scott left the command centre.

"Ninja, duh," Annie rolled her eyes.

* * *

Night fell in Corinth once again, and Scott crept from his room once he was sure everyone else was asleep. Climbing into his car, Scott had just started the engine when the passenger door opened and Spencer climbed in beside him.

"What are you doing?!" Scott hissed at him. "Get out of my car!" he ordered.

"Sorry, but I can't do that," Spencer smiled at him. "I'm going with you. To get the over-thruster. No point arguing, you'll just be wasting time better spent navigating the Waste," the young man told him cheerfully, and Scott growled.

"Are you serious? Spencer, you know I need to do this alone. Get out," he ordered again.

"Nope," Spencer shook his head. Scott contemplated dragging him out, but knew Spencer would wake the others in doing so. As if reading his mind, Spencer spoke up. "There's no point in trying to get me out, I'll just wake the others and we can all go on a field-trip. Whatcha think?" there was a devious gleam in his eye as he met Scott's glare easily. Scott growled again, but knew there was no point. He was just wasting time.

"Fine. But if you do anything stupid, I'm leaving you to the Grinders out there," he warned Spencer as he started driving.

"Fine by me," the man laughed.

* * *

The blaring alarm pulled the Rangers from their sleep roughly, and Teddie fell from her bed with a crash.

"Now what?" she groaned, pushing herself up. Ignoring her hair as it stood on end, she pulled on a white tshirt and her shorts, and headed downstairs as the others rushed down, all of them half asleep.

"Sensors tracking movement," Dillon reported as he checked the screen. "Locking location."

"And I was having the best dream too," Flynn complained.

"Nice hair," Nora commented to Teddie.

"Thanks, I've been working on it all night," the White Ranger rubbed her eyes to clear them of the sleep.

"Wait...where's Scott?" Summer noticed that they were missing a Ranger.

"The signal's outbound," Dillon breathed.

"You'll find that the location of the mystery signal," Dr. K spoke as the doors to the lab opened and she walked over. "And the co-ordinates of Ranger Red's morpher, are one and the same," she told them.

"I think there's two signals though," Arianna commented as she surveyed the details on screen.

"Yes, I believe Bly went with him," Doctor K nodded.

"Wait, _Spencer_ went with him out there?!" Teddie stared at her.

"Why are you even shocked? He's as reckless as you," Nora snorted.

"In any event, the two left two hours ago on a mission to retrieve the flux over-thruster," Dr. K ignored them.

"And you just let them leave? All by themselves?!" Dillon towered over the short girl as they approached her.

"He's Team Leader. It was his call," Dr. K didn't even blink.

"We're going after him," Dillon growled, turning away from her.

"If you leave the dome now, you'll only run the risk of alerting Venjix and increasing Ranger Red and Bly's chances of being detected and terminated," Doctor K spoke up as she walked over to one of the computers.

"Scott. His _name_ , is Scott!" Dillon yelled.

"And this is relevant _how_?" Doctor K replied calmly, and inserted a CD into the system.

"Dillon, please, getting mad at her won't help Scott," Arianna pleaded with the Black Ranger. He tore his furious gaze from the genius, to Arianna, who looked as worried as he felt.

" _Eagle Four is down! Repeat, Eagle Four is down_!" a woman cried, sounding terrified.

"What is this?" Summer asked as they gathered around curiously.

"Air defence radio transmission, from the Battle of Corinth," Doctor K replied.

" _Eagle One, we are taking fire! We are taking fire!"_

" _Eagle One, this is Eagle Two. Request permission to engage_?" they were all surprised by Scott's voice crackling over the intercom.

" _Negative Eagle Two, this zone is too hot. Maintain your course. I'm drawing fire away from Alley Delta."_

" _No! No! Marcus, that is a negative_!"

" _I'm hit! I'm hit! I'm losing altitude!"_

" _No_ , _Marcus!_ "

" _This is Eagle One's last transmission._ "

" _Marcus no! Marcus..._ "

The Rangers were silent as they heard the last of the transmission. Doctor K then turned and sent the co-ordinates to Scott, not speaking either.

"Who was Marcus?" Dillon asked quietly after a few minutes.

"Scott's older brother," Teddie answered, just as quietly. Dillon's fists were clenched at the thought of Scott and Spencer out alone in the waste. They needed to help them.

* * *

After leaving Scott's car and sneaking out of the dome through a way Spencer knew, the two walked through the waste in the direction of the co-ordinates that the fighter jet containing the over-thruster had last been detected.

They walked in silence, which was broken only when Spencer would occasionally hum a familiar tune that Scott couldn't place.

"Why?" Scott finally couldn't contain the question that had been on his mind since Spencer had insisted on tagging along.

"Why'd I come with?" Spencer clarified, and Scott nodded. "Because this isn't a place anyone should go on their own. Not now," Spencer's voice was quiet.

"You sound like you're talking from experience," Scott accused.

"Not really. Not after the shield went up last year," Spencer shook his head. "But I remember what it was like. During that battle. How helpless we were," his eyes were haunted at the thought. "We were SPD. Earth's mighty B-Squad, famous for saving the world countless times from Emperor Grumm and others. And then we failed," Spencer ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up a little.

"It wasn't your fault," Scott spoke softly. "You guys fought as hard as you could, even when you lost your powers," he pointed out.

"That may be, but it doesn't stop me from feeling I could have done something different, better," Spencer confessed. "I'm lucky, my family, my friends, Kendall, they all made it, but I know other people didn't. I just wonder how many people..."

"You can't do that to yourself," Scott stopped him, staring at him. "This isn't your fault. This is _all_ on Venjix," he told Spencer firmly, and the Gold Ranger watched, wordlessly.

"You're a good leader, Scott," he finally said, taking Scott by surprise. "But you don't need to shoulder this yourself either," the former Ranger told him softly.

"I..."

"I know who the pilot was," Spencer continued. "You should let the team help. That's _why_ you're a team," he smiled in amusement. Scott sighed, and nodded, knowing he was right.

"How about you tell your sister that?" he commented, starting to walk again. He then glanced around, and smiled lightly at Spencer's surprised expression, which was very similar to Teddie's. "I know she's hiding something. We _all_ know," he told Spencer.

"Yeah, she's terrible at hiding stuff, but very good at keeping secrets," Spencer agreed, following him along. The two continued walking through the waste, before finally the wreckage came into view.

What was left of the jet was scattered around a small area surrounded by sand dunes. As Scott went for the engine, Spencer looked around. Spotting a red envelope marked 'Confidential' in bold black letters, he crouched and lifted it, along with a missile. Hearing movement nearby, Spencer looked up quickly and swore. "Scott! We're outta time, we gotta go!" he yelled to the Red Ranger.

"What?" Scott looked up from the engine with wide eyes, and saw what Spencer had seen. "Perimeter patrol? Dammit!" he yelled, and finished unhooking the over-thruster. "Come on!" he called to his companion. The two sprinted up the sand dune and slid down the other side, running as quickly as they could back to Corinth.

"I'm so not used to this anymore!" Spencer groaned as they heard the rev of an engine coming up behind them.

"What's the matter? Can't keep up?" Scott taunted despite the situation, and Spencer couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah right!" he told the Red Ranger. "Go on ahead and take cover!" the young man ordered.

"What?"

"I said go! I'm right behind you!" Spencer yelled, and Scott hesitated, before running off. He dove behind a pile of wreckage, and after a moment was joined by Spencer.

"What did you-" Scott's question was answered as an explosion rang out, shaking the ground. Spencer grinned widely at him, and peeked out.

"Coast's clear, let's go!" he called, and they began to run again. The city came into view, and the two gave relieved laughs, before they were suddenly blasted off their feet. A large group of Grinders stood between them and Corinth, blasters trained on the pair. Ignoring the pain, Scott got to his feet, standing between them and Spencer. He needed to move quickly if he wanted to protect him and the over-thruster, and not get himself killed in the process.

Before the Grinders could go on the offensive, they were suddenly blasted away. Surprised, the two glanced over to see Colonel Truman and his men.

"Dad?" Scott couldn't help but laugh. Colonel Truman nodded, and the two ran over, jumping into the jeep as more Grinders came into view, along with an Attackbot.

"Let's move! We'll never get the shields back up in time..." Colonel Truman shook his head as he pulled his seatbelt back on. "Hicks, you waiting for a light to change?!" he yelled to his second in command.

"No sir!" Hicks started the car and sped towards Corinth. They drove through the entrance, and Scott leapt out, handing the over-thruster to Spencer.

"Get that to Doctor K," he told the man. "I'll handle this," Scott glanced to the Attackbot and the Grinders heading straight for them.

"This was reckless and dangerous! If Marcus were here-"

"If Marcus were here-" Scott snapped, before stopping himself. "He would have done it himself," he sighed, and Colonel Truman stared at him in surprise before nodding. He glanced to Hicks again, who sped off towards the garage. Spencer couldn't help but laugh lightly, looking at the device in his hands.

"He made it!" Scott glanced around as Teddie, Flynn and Summer reached him, having headed out as soon as the signals had been picked up as returning. The four fought off the Grinders that had followed them in, and as they defeated the robots, they stood together.

"Follow my lead. Lock and load," Scott told the other three, who nodded.

"Right," the four combined their weapons.

"Road Blaster!"

"Engine Cell Activate!"

"Fire!" they fired the blast, damaging the Attackbot. A moment later, it started to grow, towering over the four.

"Doc, did you get the over-thruster?" Scott grabbed his Morpher to contact the genius. It took a moment, before she responded.

' _Flux over-thruster is online_ ,' she reported.

"Black, Green, you are go for Croc Carrier Sequencing," Scott told them, before turning to Teddie. "You ready too?" he asked her, and Teddie cheered, bouncing on the spot.

"It's about time!" she laughed, bouncing away. She grabbed the new Engine Cell, helping to summon the new Zord. Dillon and Ziggy arrived as drones flew into the city as well. "I'll show you who owns these skies!" Teddie called on her own Swan Jet and it hurtled through the sky, helping to take out the drones.

"Let's finish this," Dillon called. "Initiate Transformation!" the three Zords combined with the Croc Carrier to form the Valvemax Megazord.

" _Finally_ ," Teddie laughed, and they dodged the attack from the robot while retaliating.

"Tailspin, go!" they shoved the Attackbot back with a powerful gust of wind from the Shark Zord, before starting to glow. With several powerful blows, they destroyed the Attackbot.

* * *

' _It's all clear_ ,' Scott announced, and everyone in the lab relaxed, relieved. ' _This is Ranger Red signing out_ ,' he declared.

"Roger that," Colonel Truman responded.

"And nice work, Ranger Red," Hicks spoke up. Colonel Truman frowned at him as Arianna giggled. Hearing a snore, the four looked around to see that Doctor K had fallen asleep at her computer.

"So that's where she sleeps," Spencer commented mildly.

* * *

"Going out into the wastelands was a ridiculously reckless and dangerous thing to do," Colonel Truman was still telling Spencer off after an hour. All Spencer wanted to do was shower and go to bed.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but would you have preferred I let him go alone?" Spencer asked him, too tired to put up with it any longer. "Your son is as stubborn and hard-headed as you are, you know I wouldn't have been able to talk him out of going," Spencer then sighed and smiled. "He's a great leader, and a great Ranger. Now I'm sorry sir, but I need to shower and sleep," he decided. Colonel Truman was silent for a minute before nodding.

"Fine. I will see you tomorrow," he decided. Spencer sighed with relief, grateful that the lecture had ended. However, as he slipped his hand into his hoodie pocket, he paused and looked around. Colonel Truman was speaking with one of his men, so Spencer went over to his desk and set the red envelope he had found in the wreckage of the jet on it. With a smile, he then turned and walked out.

"Oh, you might have evaded the Colonel's lecture," Spencer stopped in the hall, and groaned. "But you've not escaped me," Annie had her arms folded, not looking impressed. " _Or_ Kendall. In fact, she's waiting for us downstairs," Spencer groaned as Annie wrapped her arms around his and pulled him along.

"My head..." he moaned.

Returning to his desk after handing over the CD to Hicks with the recording of his eldest son's last transmission, Colonel Truman frowned as he noticed the letter, recognising the envelope as the one he had given Marcus before the attack. Opening it curiously, he read the very short letter.

' _Colonel Truman,_

 _I'm writing to recommend Scott Truman for position of Second Squad Leader._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Marcus Truman_ '

* * *

 **Spencer's in for a world of hurt now!**

 **Check out my Twitter page for more random stuff on my stories, I'm trying to post more on there about them! Link to my account is on my profile if you have time :)**

 **Anyways, I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	8. Ranger Yellow

**I finally sat and finished Ranger Blue, so I figured I'd get an update out there.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Ranger Yellow

Dillon's eyebrow was raised as he, Ziggy and Arianna listened to what Summer was saying.

"Do we _really_ have to go?" he asked, sounding entirely uninterested in it.

"Yes," Summer told him firmly. Dillon just met her gaze, seeing how far he could push her. " _All_ of the Rangers are expected to be there. Even Dr. K will be there," she explained. Dillon sighed, still looking unwilling to go.

"There's been a few so far," Teddie spoke up as she ate her breakfast. "It's kinda just a Q&A thing, a group of kids chosen will ask us questions. It's kinda fun," she smiled.

"What's the point of it?" Arianna asked curiously.

"Well, the city knows who we are," Teddie shrugged. "So the Q&A and is to kind of..."

"Show that we're people too," Summer finished, and Teddie nodded. "So you're going," Summer looked at Dillon specifically, and his brow rose in defiance. Summer just smiled back. "So get your jacket, and your keys. We're already late," she told them.

"We're with Teddie, it's kind of expected," Scott smirked as he walked past to his own car.

"Hey!" Teddie exclaimed, insulted as she put her bowl in the dishwasher and grabbed her jacket. "You're only just ready too," she complained.

"Nobody will believe that," Scott told her, and both Flynn and Summer grinned in amusement. Teddie rolled her eyes and grabbed her helmet.

"Yeah yeah, let's just go," she grumbled.

* * *

"You're late," Spencer spoke without looking around as the Rangers arrived with Dr. K.

"It took some convincing to get Dillon to get moving," Summer told him with an amused smile. Dillon looked at her.

"Me? Teddie was still eating breakfast when you were explaining this to me," the Black Ranger pointed out. Spencer couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, but Teddie is always late. It's to be expected," he smirked.

"Can we lay off the bullying please?" Teddie complained, blushing. "We're still here before the kids," she added.

"Because the Colonel is delaying the tour," they looked around as Annie walked in.

"Tiny person!" Ziggy and Dillon exchanged baffled looks as Teddie rushed over and lifted the young girl who was clinging to Annie's leg. "I missed you, God-Niece!" the girl, whose blonde hair was curling out, falling past her shoulders. The girl squealed with laughter as Teddie whirled around, hugging her close.

"Good to see you too Teddie," Annie chuckled, watching. "Please don't break my daughter, she's here for you guys," she requested.

"God-Niece?" Ziggy repeated.

"Kiana's my god-daughter," Spencer explained, adjusting his glasses as he watched Teddie dance around the command room. "Because of that, Teddie insists on calling her her 'God-Niece'. My family is so weird," he complained with a sigh. Annie snorted. "Teddie, can you please behave?" he requested, and Teddie stopped, looking at him.

"Spencer's a big old bore, huh?" she asked Kiana, who giggled and nodded.

"Hey!" Spencer frowned, before rolling his eyes. "Anyway, this is Annie Carson, former SPD like me," he introduced the blonde. "Annie, that's Dillon and Ziggy, Black and Green Rangers," he gestured to the two.

"Nice to finally meet you both. I hear you managed to exhaust Sky in like 2 minutes. I think that's a record," she smirked to Ziggy, who tilted his head, a little confused. Spencer cleared his throat to hide his laughter. "Ted, can I have her back? You guys are gonna start soon," Annie requested, and Teddie walked over, handing over the young girl who was just over three years old.

"You're cute with her," Arianna told Teddie as they walked through the room.

"I can't help it, she's just so adorable," the White Ranger blushed. Arianna giggled, before glancing around as Kiana babbled away to Annie and Spencer. She tilted her head a little, seeing the long sleeves the girl wore, and gloves.

"She's like her dad, huh?" she asked. Teddie glanced around, and nodded.

"Yep. Zoe's not impressed that her family got a lot weirder," she giggled, and Arianna smiled in amusement.

* * *

"And that is how we power the Ranger Bio-Hardware, using no traditional external energy source," Doctor K finished explaining as she wrote the last equation on the whiteboard. Recapping the marker she had been using for the last hour, she turned to the Colonel, Spencer, Annie and the group of children who had been chosen for the monthly Q&A section of their tour.

"Thank you Doctor K," Colonel Truman spoke as the children stared blankly. "Now, how about some questions from our visiting students?" immediately the hands of every child shot up as Ziggy nudged Flynn. The Blue Ranger's head lifted from his shoulder quickly, and he shook it to clear it from the haze of sleep. Teddie yawned widely, rubbing her eyes as she and Arianna straightened up, having been leaning on each other. "Let's see...how about you?" he handed the microphone to one of the boys.

"Ranger Black, you're my favourite Power Ranger. Your toughness and spirit is an inspiration to all of Corinth city," the boy told Dillon.

"If they lived with him they wouldn't be saying that," Teddie whispered to the others. The faintest of smirks tugged at Dillon's mouth as Scott, Flynn, Arianna and Ziggy hide their laughter. Summer shot them a stern look, but was smiling too.

"Do you have any advice for all the kids out there who look up to you?" the boy continued, not noticing.

"Don't live with Dillon," Teddie whispered, inciting more giggles from the others as Summer rolled her eyes. Dillon stepped around the Yellow Ranger, shooting Teddie a look, before leaning closer to the mic, which was slightly too low for him.

"No," he answered, and stepped back. Summer rolled her eyes as he flashed her a mocking smile. He had warned her he wasn't interested in participating. The mic was then passed to a girl in front of the previous speaker.

"Ranger Blue, why do you and Ranger White talk pretty, and everybody else doesn't?" she asked. With a smug grin, Flynn stepped up to the podium.

"Well, wee lass, it's uh, it's cause I'm Scottish, and everyone else isn't," he told her.

"And I grew up in New Zealand," Teddie spoke up with a smile. The mic was then passed to another boy who looked nervous to speak to them as Flynn stepped back.

"Could you please tell me, where do you get your spandex?" he asked, and the Rangers immediately moved as Doctor K's expression turned stormy.

"That is _not_ spandex!" she yelled, her voice echoing around the room without the need for a mic. "The material is a self-assembling nano-" she was held back and her mouth covered by Dillon as the others laughed nervously. The boy stared at her, terrified at the change all of a sudden.

"Maybe we should go on to the next question," Spencer whispered. Colonel Truman nodded, and the boy, who looked even more timid now, passed his mic on.

"Ranger White," Teddie smiled to the little girl who addressed her, and stepped forwards. The girl hesitated, blushing furiously. "I love your music!" she finally burst out. "Do you think I could ever be like you?" the girl asked Teddie hopefully.

"Of course. You just gotta work and not give up. I know I harassed my brothers constantly growing up, learning to play the guitar and practising my singing," Teddie grinned at her, and the girl giggled.

"That's for sure," Spencer sighed, and Annie patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"You're famous for your music?" Ziggy hissed at Teddie as she stepped back to stand with the other Rangers.

"Yeah," Teddie looked innocently at him. Ziggy just stared at her, wondering just how she worked that.

"Red, you're the leader of the Power Rangers. Is that the reason why your hair is the coolest?" the next boy asked. Scott laughed, looking smug as Ziggy looked a little offended.

"That would be one of the reasons, yeah," he nodded.

"Rangers Yellow, Mercury and White, as the female representatives of the Power Rangers, I have a question for you. Which of the guys look the cutest in the span-" she stopped as Doctor K charged for her, only for Summer to stop her. "I mean...the tights," the little girl corrected herself.

"Huh..." Teddie tapped her chin as she, Arianna and Summer stood at the podium. "Why? Which do you think looks the cutest?" she asked the girl, who seemed surprised that she had turned it on her. Teddie stepped down from the podium and crouched in front of her. The girl blushed, and whispered in Teddie's ear. After a moment, Teddie giggled. "Ranger Yellow thinks so too," Summer's eyes widened in alarm as the girl giggled as well.

"What about you?" the girl asked, and Teddie shrugged.

"I don't have a preference, I'm not a...tights kinda girl," she gave a small laugh. Spencer sighed heavily as the girl kept giggling.

"Who did she say?" Summer whispered urgently as she stepped back, whispering something to Arianna that made the girl go bright red and swat her away. Teddie smirked at her, a devious gleam in her eyes. The girl then passed the mic on to another boy.

"Ranger Mercury," Arianna stepped forwards, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Are you really one of the only aliens left on Earth?" the kids began to whisper as Arianna looked a little surprised. She then nodded, seeing no reason to hide it.

"Yes, there's only two of what you'd see as aliens left on Earth," she confirmed. "I'm from the planet Mercuria," Arianna told them, and the kids all looked fascinated.

"Is the other alien as pretty as you?" the boy asked, blushing. The other Rangers grinned at his words, which made Arianna blush as well.

"Well, I uh..." she paused, and then a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Ranger White thinks so," Teddie, who had been drinking from a bottle of water, choked, spraying Flynn with water and making him yelp. Almost everyone was looking at the White Ranger as she coughed violently, and Spencer put his hands to his face.

"Who knew Arianna had that in her?" Annie was almost doubled over laughing as Kiana looked baffled. "You gotta admit that was funny," she elbowed Spencer.

"God, I hate you," he grumbled, watching as Teddie went steadily redder.

"Not cool," she whispered to Arianna, who was biting her lip to hide her laughter. She then tilted her head, leaning closer to Teddie.

"Consider that my payback for teasing me about Philip," she whispered back, and after a moment, Teddie grinned back. Her face was still red, and she bumped Arianna's arm lightly with her fist, before laughing quietly. The mic was then passed back to the boy who had asked about spandex. The Rangers braced themselves for a furious Doctor K.

"Ranger Yellow, will you marry me?" the other Rangers grinned to the surprised Yellow Ranger as she stepped forwards.

"I like a man with taste, the answer is yes," she smiled at him, and the group applauded as the boy turned scarlet.

"I'm not sure I understand the relevance of the question," Doctor K said. "It makes the endless queries into Ranger Red's hair seem pertinent and insightful by comparison," she muttered.

"Hey, I think it's fascinating learning how he styles it every morning," Teddie spoke with mock insult.

"You're just jealous cause my hair is cooler than yours," Scott whispered back.

"My hair is cute, I don't need it to be cool too," Teddie retorted.

"I'm sorry...it's just...Ranger Yellow seems so nice. Have you always been this nice Miss Yellow?" the boy asked, but Summer didn't respond, seeming deep in thought. "Miss Yellow?" he tried again, but she didn't answer. As Scott made to nudge her, an alarm went off.

"Oh what now?" Arianna sighed as Doctor K rushed over to the computer.

"Some kind of sonic interference caused a momentary breach in the shield," Doctor K realised. All but Summer ran out to find out what was going on. "Ranger Series Yellow!" Doctor K called to her. The blonde snapped back to attention and ran after her team.

* * *

All the Rangers but Summer ran up to the group of Grinders, plus the Attackbot, who had gathered in the area they had managed break into. Grinning confidently to each other, the six then ran at the robots, and began to fight them off.

"'Ranger White thinks so'," Teddie mimicked Arianna as she kicked a Grinder to the ground. "I still can't believe you said that," she grumbled as Arianna ducked under a strike and punched one. Arianna blushed, and gave a guilty smile.

"I couldn't resist it," she confessed with a giggle. After taking out the Grinders around them, the six stood together.

"Ready?" Scott yelled.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" they morphed and faced off against the Attackbot, who was designed to look like a large boombox.

" _Rangers, beware of sonic bombardment cannons_ ," Doctor K warned them over the intercom.

"Wait, sonic _what_?" Teddie demanded, realising what that meant. Before she could even think of covering her ears, the Attackbot then blasted them with sonic waves that floored them.

"Thanks for the warning!" Flynn groaned. Their ears rang as a wave of nausea ran through Teddie as she remembered the last time she'd been hit with a sonic wave. She put her hands to her ears, trying to steady her breathing, but a flash of the past went through her mind.

 _"Enough!" Teddie shouted, stepping forwards as her hands lit up with energy. "Who are you?" she demanded. "You aren't Ryan!" she told him, and his eyes glittered with malice._

 _"I'm not?" Ryan tilted his head. "Then I guess this won't work," he inhaled sharply, and Teddie's eyes widened._

 _"Cover your ears!" she yelled, and as they did so, Ryan let out a powerful scream that cut through them, and the power behind it tossed them backwards._

"Come on!" Scott yelled, and all but Teddie got back to their feet as she fought the tears in her eyes. "Blasters!" the Red Ranger called, and they called on their weapons. However, the blasts were deflected by another sonic wave, which threw them backwards.

" _Rangers, the Attackbot has hacked into our radio frequencies, turn off all comm-links_ ," Doctor K instructed, but none of them could move as the piercing sound kept them floored. It screamed through their ears, immobilising the six Rangers with pain.

"Hey!" the Attackbot stopped its attack as Summer sped towards it on her bike. She leapt off, flipping through the air as her bike slammed into the Attackbot. "Do you take requests?" she asked with a smirk.

"Really? Was the one-liner necessary?" Teddie groaned as the pain in her head began to lessen. Summer smirked as she grabbed her engine cell.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she morphed and called on her Nitro Sword, fighting the Attackbot off. Using what looked like a mic-stand, it disarmed her and threw her back, and she threw an energy-blast. Using more sonic waves, the robot attempted to block it off, but she broke through and it was blasted backwards.

"Good job!" Scott praised as the others recovered and joined the Yellow Ranger. The Attackbot got back up, stumbling as it sparked; its circuitry damaged.

"Now!" Scott yelled, and the Rangers combined their weapons.

"Engine cell activate!" Summer called at the same time as Dillon. "Fire!" the two blasts sent the Attackbot flying before exploding. Moments later, it began to grow.

" _Rangers, deploy Zords. Black, Green, White, hold for Flank Omega attack_ ," Doctor K instructed.

"Zords, go!" Summer called, and she, Flynn and Scott called on their Zords. Combining to make the High Octane Megazord, the four Rangers began to fight on a much larger scale.

"Deploying Super Sabre!" Flynn called. Wielding their sword, the Megazord approached the Attackbot, who retaliated with another sonic boom. They attempted to deflect it, only to be knocked to the ground hard.

"Look out!" Scott yelled as it prepared to strike them, only to be blasted backwards by Teddie, Ziggy and Dillon's Zords. Dillon blasted the Attackbot's hand, forcing it to drop it's weapon.

"Its shields are weakening!" Summer realised.

"On it!" Teddie nodded. She flew through the air, bombarding the robot with attacks as the Megazord got back up to combine with Dillon's Zord. The robot blasted more sonic waves, but the Megazord blasted through it before firing a final attack that destroyed it.

"Venjix Attackbot is down. Threat is neutralised," Summer announced.

* * *

"Ok, I'm sorry, but which one of us did they say had cool hair?" Scott was asking as he climbed out Flynn's jeep. The six Rangers who had gone back together had been discussing the Q&A from that morning. Doctor K had just stayed silent, looking bored.

"I have cool hair!" Ziggy insisted as they walked inside.

"Aye, but who's the one who talks pretty?" Flynn smirked at him.

"I talk pretty!" the Green Ranger, insulted that the kids had not thought so, spoke loudly.

"Not according to the kids," Teddie giggled, high-fiving Flynn. She ran a hand through her hair, putting the thoughts of Ryan out of her mind. Ziggy grumbled, making Arianna smile and pat his shoulder sympathetically.

"Ah, there you are!" they stopped as an older couple walked over, smiling in a way that didn't seem very friendly. "Finally. This must be the help," the woman said to the man with her, who was holding one of the pool cues.

"The help?" Arianna repeated, not understanding.

"Here you are my good man," he handed it over to Dillon. "Polish it, buff it and chalk it in time for my next shot, if you don't mind," he instructed. Dillon's eyes flashed with a dark look.

"Oh Dillon, no-" Teddie started, but Dillon ignored her and snapped the cue easily.

"Actually, I do," he told the man coldly, thrusting the pieces back at him. The man stared, startled at the impressive display of strength.

"Sorry, can I help you two?" Scott asked as he stepped forwards before the man could try talking to Dillon again.

"You can start by explaining why you don't keep this place _cleaner_ for our daughter and the Power Rangers?" the woman asked, running her finger along the pool table and lifting it to show a streak of dust and oil.

"Wait a minute...I know these guys," Ziggy whispered to the others.

"Same here..." Arianna knew their faces, but couldn't place them.

"You do?" Teddie asked her, surprised. Arianna nodded, watching the two with a confused expression. Teddie tilted her head, taking in the appearances of the two who gave off a distinct air of wealth.

"Now wait a minute!" Flynn shook his head. "We _are_ the Power Rangers!" he explained to the couple.

"You're the Power Rangers?" the man repeated as his wife looked stunned. Flynn nodded. "Not their servants? My goodness...how very middle-class," he commented.

"Is that in right now? The middle-class I mean?" the woman whispered to him.

"The Landsdowns!" Ziggy realised. The two smirked, happy that they were recognised. "Martin and Claire Landsdown," Arianna's eyes widened in recognition.

"They're close to Philip's dad," Arianna whispered to Teddie, whose brow furrowed. Arianna bit her lip, knowing that Teddie didn't care much for the man.

"I don't care who they are!" Scott lost his patience. "You two _out_ , _now_! Move!" he snapped at the two. He and Dillon grabbed them and began to shove them towards the exit, just as Summer pulled up.

"Summer, honey!" the man called as Flynn, Teddie, Arianna and Ziggy followed Scott and Dillon, who shoved the couple out.

"Would you please tell your servants to unhand us?" the woman called to her.

"Servants?" Teddie demanded, insulted.

"Wait, Summer, you know these fools?" Scott asked as they released them.

"Well of course she knows us," the woman rolled her eyes. "This is our daughter," the woman smiled at Summer, who was staring at them in alarm.

"Mum? Dad? What are you _doing_ here?" she asked as she climbed off her bike.

"Why, we're here for our little girl," Martin explained as if this was obviously.

"Just like we always have been," Claire nodded. Summer stared at them, her expression clearly stating that she felt otherwise.

* * *

"I can't believe those are Summer's _parents_ ," Scott voiced what the rest of the team were thinking as they studied the wreckage of the Attackbot that had been brought to the Garage. They'd all gathered in the lab, sifting through the circuitry to give Summer some privacy with them.

"I never knew Summer came from a rich family," Teddie mused as she tossed aside a broken piece of metal. It landed with a small crash, making Ziggy yelp in alarm as it landed nearby. "She never really talks about her family, I never really realised it," she considered.

"She's not the only ones who doesn't tell us everything," Flynn looked at the White Ranger pointedly. She blushed, but didn't say anything as she looked through the pile of wires in front of her.

"Arianna, you recognised them too, didn't you?" Ziggy asked, and the others looked at the Mercurian, who was leaving the others to root through the machine since she didn't really understand it yet.

"Oh, I..." Arianna blushed. "My boyfriend, his dad is friends with them," she answered.

"Ah yes, Arianna's mysterious boyfriend," Scott grinned as he glanced up. "Who is this guy, and when do we get to meet him?" Flynn looked up with a grin of his own as Arianna's face went redder.

"Flynn, take a look at this," Teddie spared the Mercury Ranger, and called Flynn over. "Is this what I think it is?" she looked up at the Blue Ranger as he studied the wreckage.

"I think it is lass. But why is it in there?" he asked with a frown.

"What is it?" Scott asked as he walked over. Before they could answer, the doors to the lab opened and Summer walked in.

"It's called getting a job!" she shouted in frustration.

"We even let you pretend to be one of these _Power Rangers_ ," her father rolled his eyes.

"Pretend?" Teddie muttered to Flynn, who shrugged with a raised eyebrow.

"I _am_ a Power Ranger!" Summer told her parents. "It's important!" she then turned and walked away, letting the doors shut behind her.

"And we aren't?!" her mother yelled, insulted as the doors closed in her face.

"Take a look at this. It's a self-destruct switch," Flynn scanned it and brought it up on the screen. "But it was activated from inside the shield," he explained.

"What does that mean?" Summer frowned.

"It means that the Boombot was not the ultimate objective of Venjix' attack," Doctor K spoke up. "It was a decoy. That is why the Boombot was so easily defeated," she mused.

"Easy? You call that easy?" Ziggy demanded incredulously.

"Easier than some battles," Arianna pointed out.

"Exactly. Quit whining," Nora told him, leaning against the wall as Doctor K rolled her eyes. She then pointed to the screen as it brought up an overhead view of the city.

"This is the point of entry of the Boombot," she pointed to the red dot. "And this is the direction it took into the city," she indicated to another location. "I've had Colonel Truman scan for any unusual activity in the opposite direction..."

"And we hit a metaphorical jackpot," Spencer announced as he walked in. "Any reason why two of the most famous people in Corinth are hanging out there complaining about the mess?" he asked as he pointed his thumb outside.

"Don't ask," Summer shook her head with a sigh. "What did you find?" she asked.

"There's a break-in at Corinth City Central Bank vaults," Spencer explained. "Still ongoing. You guys may wanna check it out," they nodded and ran off, ignoring Claire and Martin as they stood in the doorway.

"May wanna get a move on," Teddie warned Summer as she started her bike. "Before those two block you in," Summer sighed and nodded, and Teddie sped out after the three cars, leaving Summer to deal with her parents.

* * *

Tenaya walked out of the bank, carrying a black box in her hand that she had retrieved from the bank vaults. She had a cocky smile on her face as she held her wrist to her mouth.

"Venjix, I am returning with the diamond," she announced.

"Maybe," Scott called out, and she looked up to see the Rangers, minus Summer, morphed and running towards her.

"Then again, maybe not!" Flynn told her as they surrounded her.

"I love a good challenge," she commented as they circled her.

"I'll bet," Dillon replied, and the six called on their blasters before attacking. She easily blocked each of their moves and smirked.

"But it looks like I'll have to settle for you guys instead," Tenaya taunted, continuing to fight them off. Raising her fist, Teddie blocked her attack before leaping back. Tenaya then grabbed Ziggy's arm and used his blaster to knock Dillon off the scaffolding, before tossing him into Arianna.

"Come on!" Arianna pulled him back to his feet and leapt at Tenaya again.

"Still trying to keep that idiot safe? You'd have been better giving me that Morpher than him!" Tenaya told her mockingly as she caught Arianna's kick. She blocked Ziggy's next attack and threw him to the ground, turning her attention back to Arianna.

"I doubt that somehow," the Mercury replied, spinning and catching Tenaya with her other leg. Tenaya released her and stepped back, her arrogant smile gone.

"You dare oppose me? Tenaya, Generation Seven, Venjix Human Infiltration Attackbot?" she demanded. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Please stop talking," she groaned.

"Sorry, my parents are visiting, can we skip all the bad guy 'blah blah blah'?" Summer called, making Tenaya look around sharply.

"Took long enough!" Teddie laughed, and Summer joined her in fighting off Tenaya.

"Yeah well my parents love to talk," Summer rolled her eyes as she dodged Tenaya's attack. She then grabbed her Morpher and engine cell as Teddie kicked Tenaya backwards. "RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she morphed into her Yellow suit and kept fighting. The three fought it out, before Teddie was blasted into a pillar by Tenaya as she stole one of their blasters, leaving Summer to fight off the human-like Attackbot.

After a few minutes of the two fighting, Summer knocked Tenaya to the ground. "Hold it right there!" she called before Tenaya could retaliate. "Don't move," Summer kept her blaster on Tenaya as she slowly got back to her feet.

"Tell your parents not to wait up!" she smirked at Summer, who frowned.

"What? My parents? Leave my parents out of this!" she shouted, and Tenaya gave a small laugh. Teddie groaned as she lifted her head, and noticed that Tenaya's arm was missing something vital.

"Summer! Behind you!" the White Ranger spotted the robotic hand behind Summer, pointing the blaster at her. Summer instantly moved, dodging a blast that hit Tenaya instead. Summer blasted the hand, destroying it.

"Drat!" Tenaya yelled, before Summer turned and fired another attack at her.

"You need some new upgrades," Summer taunted her.

"You're too late Rangers, I already got what I came for!" Tenaya yelled as she got back to her feet. "Behold, the key to your destruction! The Black Dia-" Tenaya stopped abruptly when she opened the black case to find it was empty.

"Whoops," Summer mocked.

"Double drat!" Tenaya yelled, and stormed off as the other Rangers ran over to Summer.

"Ok...what was that all about?" Teddie raised an eyebrow as Tenaya escaped.

* * *

"Hey," Summer looked up as Arianna approached her with pizza, taking a seat. "How are you holding up?" she asked the Yellow Ranger, handing over a plate.

"Thanks," Summer smiled softly as she accepted the food. "I'm okay," she told the Mercurian, who arched an eyebrow. Summer then sighed, looking down at her plate. "Okay, maybe not so much," she admitted, taking a bite of her pizza. "This is good," she commented.

"Teddie makes great pizza," Arianna chuckled. "Your parents...they're pretty..."

"Crazy. Yeah," Summer nodded. "And up until just over a year ago, I was just as bad as them. All about make-up and jewellery, all that mattered was me and being rich and important," she admitted, tears in her eyes. "I was horrible," she confessed, and Arianna watched her, surprised by her words.

"But you're not now," Summer looked up in surprise. Arianna smiled gently. "I don't care who you were in the past. I care about what you're like _now_. And now...you're incredible," Arianna told her with a small laugh. "You're confident and cool and a kickass Ranger. Exactly the sort of person I look up to in all of this. Exactly the sort of person that all the kids, especially little girls, look up to as the heroes of the city," Arianna put a hand on her shoulder.

Summer was quiet for a moment, looking down at the pizza on her plate again as she seemed to consider this. Then, she smiled softly, and looked up to meet Arianna's pale gaze.

"Thanks, Arianna," Arianna's smile grew and she nodded.

"So does anyone know what that Tenaya wanted earlier?" they looked up as the others approached with food as well, taking seats.

"Dr. K said it was a black diamond," Teddie said, and Summer paused, her pizza halfway to her mouth. "Didn't think there was such a thing," the White Ranger commented, not noticing. "But either way, apparently the Black Diamond has a special element to it that can be used to power up a weapon that could potentially destroy the city," she shrugged.

"They're super rare," Ziggy spoke up, excited to know something that most looked blank about. "Like, I mean they were insanely expensive even before Venjix. Went for billions for the smallest stone," he took a bite of his pizza. "I didn't think any even made it to the city," he commented, his mouth full.

"Dude, gross," Nora rolled her eyes and punched his arm.

"One did," they all looked around as Summer's quiet words. She looked up at them, her expression one of worry.

"Don't tell me..." Dillon frowned.

"It was a family heirloom, they gave it to me for my birthday," Summer's voice was very quiet, and Arianna put a hand to her arm, giving her an encouraging smile. "I gave it back to my dad, when I got to the city. He has it," she told them.

"Great. And just how are we gonna convince him to hand over such a thing?" Scott grumbled.

"Excuse me," both Arianna and Teddie reacted with surprise, as they all looked around at the visitor. He had fair hair kept neatly out of his face, and eyes almost as blue as Arianna's. He wore a grey suit, and looked entirely out of place in the garage.

"And you are?" Dillon arched an eyebrow. Ziggy started slapping his arm. "Ziggy, I will rip that off," he warned his friend, who was too excited to be scared.

"You don't understand, that's-"

"Hey Philip," Teddie stood up. "What brings you here?" she smiled.

"Teddie!" the young man who was once the Prince of Zandar was surprised to see his former team-mate there. "I wasn't expecting to see you here," he told her.

"And we weren't expecting to see you," Philip's expression softened as Arianna showed herself to him, and she walked over to him.

"This wasn't the surprise I was expecting," he smiled at her, reaching out to take her hand. Arianna's cheeks warmed at his touch, and Teddie smirked at them.

"Guys, this is Philip, he's-"

"The former Prince of Zandar," Ziggy burst out before Teddie could introduce him.

"Ziggy, etiquette," Teddie frowned at him. Ziggy blushed, and yelped as Nora punched him again.

"How do _you_ know each other?" Scott asked, baffled.

"We met in Amber Beach," Philip smiled in amusement as Teddie gave an awkward laugh. "Teddie worked in the museum where the Treasures of Zandar were on exhibit at one point," he explained. Teddie's awkward laugh grew as he looked at her.

"And Arianna?" Flynn was smirking, having gotten his answer to his earlier questions.

"Gee, I wonder," Teddie giggled. "Okay, Philip, this is Scott, Flynn, Dillon, Ziggy, Nora and-"

"Miss. Landsdown," Philip finished before Teddie could. Summer was staring at him with big eyes, her face paling.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in a quieter voice. Philip frowned.

"I requested for him to be here," they looked around quickly as a tall older man with fair hair and blue eyes walked in, accompanied by Summer's parents. Teddie's expression darkened as Ziggy slapped Dillon again, who growled at him irritably. Philip's grip on Arianna's hand tightened and he pulled her closer.

"Father-"

"Enough, Philip," the former King spoke in a commanding tone, effectively stopping Philip from speaking. "Since you continue to ignore what I've told you repeatedly, I'm taking matters into my own hands," he told him.

"What are you doing?" Summer stood up and approached her parents, looking terriifed.

"Summer, honey," Martin smiled at his daughter.

"All we're asking is that you make good on our agreement," Claire pleaded with her.

"Now you promised us that if we gave you some space, you'd do the right thing," Martin reminded her.

"No questions asked. Isn't that what you said?" Claire smiled at her daughter.

"That's _enough_!" Dillon yelled, slamming his fists on the table as he finally snapped.

"Dillon!" Scott blocked his path. "That's Summer's family," he reminded the Black Ranger as the couple just looked amused by him, as if he were throwing a temper tantrum.

"I don't care _who_ they are," Dillon growled. "No-one comes in here, and tells Summer what to do," he told them as he pushed past Scott, who tried again to stop him.

"It's between Summer and her family," he told the Black Ranger. "If she promised that, I dunno, go back to school or back home-"

"Or get married?" Summer suggested softly, and all but Scott turned wide eyes on her.

"Right-" Scott stopped when he realised what she had said. "Wh-what?!" he demanded as everyone stared at Summer, who had tears in her eyes.

"I promised them I'd get married," Summer admitted in a small voice. No-one spoke as Arianna looked up at Philip. He was glaring at his father, who met his gaze evenly.

"Honey, we're sorry," Claire told her, but didn't look or sound very apologetic.

"But it's time that you remembered who you really are," Martin smiled, holding up a necklace with the Black Landsdown Diamond embedded in it.

"Father, I told you-"

"I told you to be quiet, Philip," William cut him off impatiently. "I'm taking matters into my own hands now, since you've proven you can't follow even the most basic of instructions. Your betrothal to Miss. Landsdown _will_ go ahead as planned," he told him, and Arianna dropped Philip's hand as if it had burned her. The silence was heavy as everyone processed this, unable to find the right words.

* * *

 **Well...this is a thing. I've had this in mind for some time now, because apparently torturing Arianna is a favourite past-time of mine.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	9. Ranger Mercury Part 1

Chapter 9: Ranger Mercury Part 1

Jogging down the street, Teddie gave a heavy sigh, looking around the poorly lit area. Night had fallen several hours ago, and the streets were almost completely silent, but Teddie wasn't giving up.

"Teddie!" she looked around to see a young man with short black hair hurrying towards her. "Any sign?" he asked her, and Teddie shook her head.

"None. It's next to impossible to track anyone in the city," she ran her hand through her hair. "Ivan, I've never seen Arianna so upset...what if she goes into the Waste?" Teddie asked her former team-mate, who was trying not to think the same.

"I do not believe Arianna would do anything so rash," Ivan managed a small smile, and put his hand on her shoulder. "She will be okay, we will fix this," he told her confidently, and Teddie nodded.

"I hope so. Anyone find Philip yet?" she asked him. Ivan shook his head, his smile fading.

"Chase told me he slipped past his bodyguard," he told her, and Teddie groaned. She put a hand to her face as she shook her head.

"These two, I swear. And with the city as big it is...even with all of us looking...wait," Teddie's eyes opened and she lifted her head. "I know how I can find Arianna. You guys focus on finding Philip," she turned and ran off.

"Teddie?" Ivan blinked, tilting his head. "Where are you going?" he called after her.

"Heckyl!" Teddie shouted over her shoulder. "Just find Philip and keep him sane! We're gonna fix this!" she declared, and Ivan couldn't help but chuckle.

* * *

Curled up in a ball, Arianna hadn't moved since she'd found the cave. Dirt streaked her face and tear stains ran through them, and there was a dull ache in her chest.

The events of the evening just kept repeating in her head. Summer and Philip were supposed to get married. And now that his father was stepping in, it was a done deal. And Arianna had done what she always did.

Ran away.

"That's all I ever do. Run away," she said aloud, her voice echoing down the tunnel. "Every time it gets tough, I run. I don't deserve him," Arianna whispered, pressing her face into her knees.

* * *

 _Arianna couldn't stop her laughter as she was spun around the room, trying to pull away, but it was a worthless attempt as Philip pulled her back into his arms._

" _Philip, stop," she giggled, wiggling in his grasp. "We're going to be late," she warned him._

" _We're ahead of schedule 'Anna, stop fussing," he smiled down at her, and as she looked up, he kissed her quickly before she could try and move. Arianna pushed up to kiss him back, her protests lost. When they finally pulled apart, Arianna blushed as she bit her lip, looking away from his smile, but he touched her face gently to guide her face back. "Arianna, I-"_

" _Your highness," they looked up as there was a knock on the door. "Forgive the interruption, but your father would like a word," Philip sighed heavily at Oscar's words._

" _I'll be right there," he called, before looking back as Arianna, who was looking worried. "Everything is fine, 'Anna. Stop worrying so much," Philip kissed her cheek before letting her go. Looking resigned, he walked to the door._

" _Philip!" he stopped, looking around with a smile. Arianna hesitated, before walking over and reaching up on her toes to kiss him softly. Philip angled back to her completely, catching her and lifting her into his arms. When she pulled back, Arianna opened her mouth as if to say something, before instead touching her forehead to his. "See you later," she whispered._

" _Of course," Philip set her down and kissed her hand before leaving her, shutting the door behind him. Arianna walked over, and pressed her hand to it._

" _I'm such a coward," she muttered._

* * *

Arianna's eyes shot open and she looked around as she heard footsteps echo down the cave tunnel. A bright light suddenly shone through, making her flinch.

"'Anna!" the Mercury Ranger was taken by surprise as someone slammed into her, oddly warm and comforting. "Are you okay?" the light faded, leaving them in mostly darkness with just the small light Arianna had brought with her.

"Teddie..." Arianna realised, and the White Ranger let her go, and they got up. Teddie looked at the girl with big eyes, looking worried. Arianna glanced over her shoulder, and saw Heckyl looking around. Even with his goggles on, she could tell he was tired.

"Cosy," he commented, pulling the goggles down to hang around his neck.

"We've been looking for you for hours. All the Dinos have been," Teddie told her.

"Why?" Arianna tilted her head, baffled, and Teddie punched her shoulder. Arianna yelped, taking a step back in alarm.

"Because you ran off!" Teddie exclaimed, her voice carrying down the tunnel. "The moment I told the others, they were all out looking for you. _And_ Philip. He ditched Oscar. I have a feeling he's looking for you," Arianna's eyes filled with tears, and she looked away.

"I'm sorry...I'm always causing you all so much trouble," she wiped her tears away as they continued to fall.

"Are you crazy?" she looked at Teddie as the girl stared at her. "You're my best friend, you're not trouble. And we're going to fix this," Teddie told her confidently.

"But..."

"I don't think you're going to convince her to stop," the two looked at Heckyl, who had his arms folded as he leaned against the wall. "This is the same girl who poured milkshakes over a stranger for making you cry," Teddie blushed as he smirked.

"Can't you just let me forget that!" Teddie tried to hit him, but he easily caught her hand and just tugged her closer. She struggled, grumbling at him, before looking up as Arianna laughed.

"I forgot about that," she admitted, wiping her tears again. "Thank you, both," Arianna sniffed.

"Do you want to head back to the Garage?" Teddie suggested, but Arianna shook her head. She seemed to withdraw into herself, going quiet, and Teddie reached out, taking her hand and squeezing. "Okay, we don't have to," she spoke softly.

"Thank you," Arianna whispered.

* * *

 _Checking her watch, Arianna frowned a little. They really were going to be late at this rate. She walked down the corridor, looking for Oscar, who was normally hanging around nearby keeping an eye._

" _Hey there E.T," she looked around quickly to see a young man smirking at her. His fair hair was all that he had in common with his brother, as he resembled his mother much more, with dark hair and even darker eyes. "If you're looking for my little brother, check down there," he gestured._

" _Oh, thank you," Arianna managed a polite smile to John, who had always made her nervous. Not to mention his nickname for her._

" _Good luck," he snorted, walking on, and Arianna watched him, her smile falling as she she watched him for a moment. Wondering what he meant, she walked on, and spotted Oscar._

" _Oscar?" she called softly, and he looked around, looking concerned. "Have you seen-"_

" _Why can you not follow even the most basic of instructions?" she stopped, and Oscar sighed. "I've humoured these whims you've been having. Spending time in America, in that city with the monster attacks. I've humoured your friends – yes, I'm aware of them, it seems journalists are more open than you, Philip," William's voice was loud and frustrated. "This is going ahead, you-"_

" _With all due respect father, it's not," Philip spoke up. "Now if you'll excuse me, we have a flight to catch and we're already running late."_

" _Philip!" William growled as the door opened. Philip paused when he saw Oscar and Arianna standing in the corridor, before he strode over to Arianna and took her hand._

" _Sir, the car is ready," Oscar told him._

" _Thank you," Philip nodded to him, and pulled Arianna along before she could ask. She glanced around to see William step out of the office, only for a woman with dark hair and pretty features to stop him._

" _William, let him go," Katherine spoke softly, her Zandarian accent lilting and gentle as she soothed her husband. Philip didn't look back as he pulled Arianna away, and the woman caught her eye before turning away._

" _Philip," Arianna only spoke when they were in the car. She reached out and took his hand when he didn't speak._

" _I'm sorry," he murmured, shifting to lean against her._

" _It's not your fault. And it'll be okay. Everything will work out," Arianna smiled at him, and he shifted to look at her. His stressed expression faded, and he smiled back at her._

" _Thanks, Arianna. You're right. And I suppose some things really never change," he told her._

" _What do you mean?" she tilted her head, confused._

" _You're always soothing my doubts," Philip told her, and when Arianna's confused look didn't change, except for the red filling her cheeks, he chuckled. "I-"_

" _Airport, yes, your majesty?" the driver called as he got into the front seat. Philip jolted, sitting up straight._

" _Uh, yes, please," he nodded, his face warming as he looked out the window._

* * *

Arianna had lost track of time of how long they'd been in the tunnel. She hadn't wanted to leave, and she didn't want to see anyone else. She glanced over to where Teddie and Heckyl were sitting, fast asleep and leaning against each other. Teddie's hand was held out, holding onto Arianna's as a source of comfort that Arianna valued. But it wasn't the comfort that she wanted.

The Mercury Ranger sighed quietly, unable to deny the envy she felt about the two. She felt guilty about feeling that way, knowing how hard Teddie's feelings had been for the girl to cope with, on the opposing side to the one she had come to care about.

The loud beeping from their Morphers echoed down the tunnels, and Teddie jerked awake, groaning. She didn't open her eyes, instead turning to try and burrow into Heckyl's side, but he pushed her away.

"Duty calls," he yawned as she whined.

"When did you become such a buzzkill?" Teddie yawned widely.

"Around the time threats were made about feeding me to a dragon if I was a bad influence on you," Heckyl rubbed his eyes and stretched as Teddie grumbled.

"What's up?" she opened the link on her Morpher.

' _We got a small wave of Grinders in town, can you get there?_ ' Scott asked.

"Of course, I'm on my way," Teddie ended the communication link before yawning loudly. "Arianna? It doesn't seem too hectic, but if you want..." Arianna shook her head, her hesitancy clear. "No problem, I got this," Teddie said confidently, standing up. Her hand slipped from Heckyl's, and she stretched, groaning as she did. "Oh, not used to sleeping like that any more," she gave a small laugh, and shook out her arms. "I hope Tenaya and Siren aren't about, I'm in no mood for them," Teddie declared, walking off.

"Don't worry, she never said that about you," Arianna told Heckyl, who frowned as he went red.

"I heard that!" Teddie's voice echoed down the corridor.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Scott called as he fought off Grinders with a broom he had grabbed. "Summer promised her parents she'd get _married_?!" Scott recapped what had happened the previous day.

"They'd leave her alone for one year, forget that she is the heir to the fabulous Landsdown fortune, and let her live her life," Flynn explained the agreement that Summer had gone through with her parents after arriving in Corinth.

"Here's what I don't get," Dillon tossed another Grinder aside. "Why on earth would you agree to marry some stiff that your mum and dad picked out for you?" he demanded.

"Hey!" Teddie frowned, and a Grinder sailed past Dillon. "Philip isn't a stiff," she warned him.

"He's a _Prince_ ," Dillon emphasized. "That's stiff to me," he told her, and Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but you're Dillon. Almost everyone is stiff to you," she told him seriously. Dillon glanced at her, arching an eyebrow as she gave a mocking smile. He smirked very slightly.

"She's got to marry a rich guy, it's what rich people do!" Flynn shrugged as he fought off the Grinders with a bike.

"Yeah well, she's not marrying this guy," Teddie spun, kicking a Grinder to the ground before flipping back to land on a crate.

"Well her parents have been planning on marrying Summer off to the Prince of Zandar since she was five years old," Flynn shrugged.

" _Five_?!" Dillon and Scott echoed, appalled.

"Prince Philip the Third," Ziggy spoke as he tossed a barrel at the Grinders chasing him. "Second in line to the throne of Zandar before; their family is even more loaded than Summer's!" he told them as he dodged the Grinders that pursued him.

"Well there's nothing I love better than a proper wedding reception," Flynn told the others as they regrouped.

"It's not happening!" Teddie exclaimed.

"Teddie's right!" they looked up as Summer leapt overhead. She landed nearby, using her Nitro Sword to take out even more Grinders. "There isn't gonna _be_ a wedding!" she told him. Teddie cheered, laughing as they grabbed their engine cells.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" they morphed and returned to the fight.

"I already told my parents, I'm not going through with any wedding!" Summer told her friends as she continued to fight.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Teddie laughed, cutting a path through the Grinders.

"But Summer! Have you though this through? I mean..." Ziggy called to the Yellow Ranger as he fought off the ones attacking him. "With that much money, you could afford to be pretty generous to, you know, your closest friends!" he told her.

"Oh aye!" Flynn laughed. "And you can afford to throw a pretty grand wedding reception!" he added as he threw several Grinders backwards. "Hor'derves, a live band, dancing to the wee hours..." he listed.

"How about we just throw a party instead Flynn?" Teddie suggested as she leapt over his head.

"Come on guys, give it a rest!" Scott rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, isn't this guy Arianna's boyfriend? Besides, money can't buy everything, right Summer?" Dillon called to her. Summer didn't respond, seeming to fall into thought as they finished fighting off the robots.

* * *

"The Landsdown Diamond should have been there!" Tenaya protested her defence in front of the massive machine in front of her. An eerie red light shone from it, as if watching her in disgust. Siren watched, looking fascinated.

"What are you going to do to her?" one of the other robots in the room asked, sounding excited. "Blow her up?" he cackled at the idea as the other robot beside him gave a small chuckle. Tenaya smirked.

" _No_ ," the deep, imposing voice of Venjix spoke up, and the two fell silent as Tenaya stared, surprised.

"Fortunately, we have another way to get the Black Diamond," they looked at Siren as she approached, flicking her dark curly hair over her shoulder. "A very _interesting_ way," she smirked, her mouth all that was shown.

"What do you mean?" Tenaya asked slowly.

" _I have something else in mind. An upgrade_ ," they looked around as Venjix produced a new hand for the Attackbot, since hers had been destroyed by Summer. A Grinder lifted it, and brought it over to her. " _Fortunately for you, Tenaya 7, I still need you and Siren 8's human forms to secure the Landsdown Diamond, and power up my Camera Attackbot_ ," he explained.

"Take a look at this," Siren brought up an image, and Tenaya's brow furrowed as she read it.

"The Yellow Ranger...well well well," she smirked as the realisation dawned on her.

"Word has it that the Black Diamond will be presented to her at the ceremony," Siren commented. "But her husband-to-be...I know his face," she tapped her head as she thought about it. She chuckled. "Either way, this is going to be _very_ fun," she commented.

"So...I get to get my hands on a big, sparkly diamond," Tenaya considered. "Destroy the city of Corinth, _and_ ruin Ranger Yellow's wedding all at once?" she activated the weapon on her hand, and admired it with a wide smile. "I am so totally there," she decided.

* * *

"Did you find Arianna?" Summer asked as the group returned to the Garage, worried for the Mercury Ranger.

"Yeah," Teddie nodded, scratching her head and making her already messy hair stand on end. "She's alright, just not ready to come back yet," she said, before seeing Summer's guilty look. "Hey, she doesn't blame you for this. Philip's dad has been fighting their relationship from the start, this is just another way for him to do it. We'll solve this," she said confidently.

"How _do_ you know him?" Ziggy asked, curious.

"I told you, we met at the museum I worked in," Teddie shrugged.

"And you all just became friends? Just like that?" Scott asked with an arched eyebrow. Teddie was quiet.

 _"Starting to get the picture, are we?" the man sneered. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Philip the Third of Zandar. The real Prince, unlike the imposters that have been masquerading around here," he pulled a magazine from his blazer._

 _"How did that get out? Oh, I'm going to kill Mr. Hartford, he was supposed to bury this," Ari complained under her breath. The Prince's gaze flitted to the others in the small group, and narrowed suspiciously._

 _"Wait a moment, this is you two, isn't it?" Philip accused. Tyler struggled to find the right words, and Chase glanced away as Shelby looked to him. "It's a wonder anyone mistook you for a Prince," Philip told Tyler._

 _"Hey now, you-"_

 _"Don't, Teddie," Chase pulled his sister back as she went to snap at the Prince. "Don't make things even worse," he muttered to her. Teddie didn't respond, glaring at the young man who met her gaze evenly. Philip scoffed, and turned, only to walk into Arianna. Instinctively, he reached out and caught her before she fell._

 _"Oh, I'm sorry," Arianna smiled at him as he looked down at the young woman whose eyes were even paler than his. "Is everything okay?" she asked._

 _"Uh, 'Anna, I wouldn't," Chase hissed to her. Philip arched an eyebrow, stepping around her without a word, and walking up to the stage._

 _"A knight's bravery is what makes this Stone a legend," Philip said as he lifted the Energem. "How dare you touch it. None of you are worthy!" he snapped at them, storming off._

"Not...exactly," she finally said with a small chuckle. "Arianna's the reason we became friends with him," she explained softly.

"Exactly why this wedding is _not_ going through," Summer said stubbornly.

"I hate to be the one to say it, but that isn't what the rest of the city is thinking," Spencer approached, looking hesitant as he held a newspaper in his hands.

"What?" Summer frowned, taking the paper from him.

"Oh...that looks bad," Ziggy commented unnecessarily as they saw the front page.

"'Royal and Heiress to Wed'," Scott read as they gathered around to read it.

"It's in every paper. Your parents must have announced it after they left yesterday," Spencer told her, looking apologetic. With a frustrated huff, Summer turned and stormed out, taking the paper with her.

"They're unbelievable, she told them she wasn't going through with it, and they go and do this," Dillon growled, storming over to the kitchen.

"You saw what they were like yesterday, they aren't gonna listen to her," Spencer shook his head, and Dillon turned a glare on him. Spencer didn't blink, unfazed by the Black Ranger's intimidation.

"I'm gonna go find 'Anna," Teddie sighed, shaking her head.

* * *

" _The city is really looking great," Arianna smiled as she and Philip walked through the park, going to the place where they were to meet their friends._

" _Agreed, it really has improved since Sledge's attack," Philip agreed._

" _Same for Zandar," Arianna reminded him. The Greenzilla monster that had hatched in the kingdom had done some damage, since they weren't really used to monster attacks, but they, just like Amber Beach and the rest of the areas affected, had slowly recovered over the last two years._

" _You're right. A lot has happened since that last battle," Philip commented, seeming to fall into thought. Arianna watched him from the corner of her eye, knowing he'd been working hard to help restore his kingdom. He glanced at her, and Arianna looked away, before he stopped, forcing her to stop._

" _Philip?" she looked around, and gave a small gasp as he pulled her into his arms. He leaned in, kissing her softly, and she didn't refuse him._

" _Arianna, I..." he paused, meeting her gaze. A blush warmed his face, before he cleared his throat. We can discuss it later," Philip decided, and she tilted her head, wondering what he meant. "Let's go," Philip just smiled at her, squeezing her hand, and they kept walking._

 _A moment later, the ground rocked as a loud explosion sounded nearby, and the two looked up._

" _What was that?" Arianna breathed, looking up to see smoke rising in columns from the city._

" _Let's go," Philip pulled her along, and they started to run._

* * *

Philip looked up at the dome above, designed to look like a bright blue sky. He wondered how long he had before Oscar managed to track him down, but dismissed the thought as quickly. He didn't particularly care. All that mattered was getting out of the arranged marriage.

Shaking his head, the young man stood, ready to continue the search for Arianna, a quest he'd been on since the previous evening, when a hand wrapped around his wrist. Before he could react, the world was spinning, and he was on his back, staring up at the cloudy sky.

"You're losing your touch," a familiar voice broke through his daze as a shadowed figure stood over him. Philip blinked rapidly, before realising who it was.

"James..." he murmured, accepting the hand offered to him. He stood, and scowled, drawing himself taller. "That was completely unnecessary," he told his friend, who was grinning at him.

"I found it completely necessary, considering you haven't been answering your Com," James told him, not in the least bit apologetic.

"I didn't-"

"We've all been out all night, y'know," Philip looked around as a young man with fair hair and sunglasses approached. "Looking for both of you idiots. Teddie found Arianna," Jeremy pulled off his sunglasses, revealing the dark lines under his eyes. It had been a long time since he'd slept well.

"Where? Is she alright?" Philip asked, looking from one to the other.

"Dude, are _you_ alright?" Jeremy asked, shaking his head. "This has gotta be hard on both of you," he commented.

"He's right," James nodded, his smile gone.

"I'll be fine once I put an end to this madness," Philip told them firmly.

"Good. And we're helping you," James replied confidently. Philip shook his head, but before he could speak, James continued. "Don't even think about it. We're still a team. We'll get this done," he smiled. Philip was quiet, looking from James, to Jeremy, both looking confident. He then gave a small chuckle.

"It seems I'm not the only one, who's learned to help motivate others," he told James, who laughed.

"I learned from the best," he told Philip, before his smile widened. "And there she is," they looked around around as Arianna approached with the others.

"We'll give you some space," Jeremy chuckled.

"We'll meet you back at the Garage, alright?" Teddie asked with an amused smile.

"Thank you," Arianna smiled, rubbing her face and smearing the dirt across it. Teddie winked, and they left the two to talk.

"Arianna, I-" before Philip could speak, Arianna was kissing him with enough force to make him stumble. Relief filled him as he pulled her against him, kissing her back and ignoring the passers-by who were staring.

"I'm sorry," Arianna whispered as she pulled away.

"Are you okay?" Philip asked in just as quiet voice, seeing the dirt clinging to her. "Where were you?" he questioned.

"Um...a cave?" Arianna went red as Philip stared at her.

"I...alright," Philip tried to recover from her bizarre admittance. He put a hand to her face. "I'm going to speak with my father. This wedding will not go ahead. I simply wanted to talk to you to reassure you before I went to him," he told Arianna, who smiled softly.

"That's unfortunate," their smiles fell and they looked around as Siren walked into view, tossing her brown curly hair over her shoulder.

"Siren..." Arianna frowned as the Attackbot chuckled.

"You see, we need that wedding to go ahead. Though this I didn't expect. The Yellow Ranger to marry a former Ranger," Philip's eyes widened in alarm.

"How could you possibly-"

"And a former Prince. How does it feel, knowing that you didn't just let your Kingdom down, but the world?" Siren mocked, and his eyes darkened.

"Don't listen to her," Arianna put her hands on his arm, looking up at him. "She did this to Teddie. She has access to the Ranger files SPD made. She's trying to get in your head," she warned Philip, who took a deep breath.

"And even cuter!" Siren exclaimed mockingly. "The Graphite Dino Charge Ranger, and the Mercury RPM Ranger, together! I called you a Princess before, but this is just too funny," she laughed. "Both powerful elements, one fluid and the other sturdy. I wonder how well you really work together," she snapped her fingers, and Grinders came into view.

"It's been a while since I've been involved in this," Philip commented as both he and Arianna fell into fighting stances.

"Attack," Siren ordered in a light voice. The Grinders rushed the two, who moved to dodge the mass of attacks coming at them. Arianna threw her hand out, blasting several with her mercury powers, and Philip kicked one to the ground as it leapt at the Mercury Ranger. "Still quite the powerful warrior, very interesting," Siren considered as she watched the two. Arianna lifted her arm, going to contact the others, only for a powerful wave of sound to blast them both off their feet as Siren screamed. "No, we can't have them aware of what's going on," she smirked.

"What do you want..." Arianna growled as she got to her feet.

"What do I want?" Siren tilted her head, walking over. Her attention was diverted, and she darted in, kicking the Dino Com from Philip's hand. She then blasted Arianna, who used a shield to protect herself, but was tossed to the ground. "Your charming boyfriend, that's what," both frowned in confusion at Siren's words.

"You won't win this," Arianna got to her feet, only to be blasted straight off them again. She cried out, hitting the ground as the Attackbot ambled into view.

"I had that," Siren growled.

"Arianna!" Philip got to his feet, rushing over, but Siren grabbed him. He fought with her, which only made her smirk widen as she found him a challenge. However, after the fight, he wasn't strong enough to take her down, and Siren caught him in an armlock.

"The hero till the end. So sweet," she mocked, but before Philip could speak, she started to sing, and everything went hazy.

* * *

 **Been having a lack of motivation to write lately, I hate getting sick.**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	10. Ranger Mercury Part 2

**I've been hitting some writers block recently, and also been busy with other stuff as well, hence the terrible updating at the moment. Hopefully I'll be able to work that out soon!**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 10: Ranger Mercury Part 2

"You think they'll be mad we went for ice cream without them again?" Teddie asked the group she was walking with.

"I doubt they'll even notice, Ted," Jeremy laughed as he finished his own off.

"And hey," Tyler laughed. "Just an excuse to get more," he pointed out.

"You're right!" Teddie cheered.

"I think you've had enough," Heckyl commented, watching her carefully. She glowered at him.

"Careful mate," Chase warned with a grin. "She bit Riley when he tried to deny her more ice cream," he warned. Teddie went red, and punched her brother in the arm.

"Not cool," she scowled at him.

"You biting my arm when I tried to take away the ice cream wasn't cool," Riley grumbled, his hand on his arm as if he still felt it.

"I needed that ice cream," Teddie told him, unapologetic. They were then forced to step aside as several people rushed into the Garage, bringing with them an assortment of food and clothes.

"That doesn't look good," Jeremy commented as they followed the rush in.

"Dillon!" Teddie called the Black Ranger when she saw him, walking over to the furious looking hybrid. "What is going on?" she asked, looking around at the strangers rushing around.

"Seems the wedding is going ahead," he growled, glowering at where Summer was arguing with her parents.

"What? But..." Teddie frowned. "But Philip was going to stop it," she shook her head.

"Seems my little brother has finally come to his senses," they looked around to see a tall young man in a suit, with dark hair slicked out of his face, and dark brown eyes. "He _insisted_ that the wedding go through, _today_ ," he smirked. Teddie frowned at him, struggling to understand what he meant.

"But...that's not right," she muttered, and he shrugged.

"Believe what you will. At least he'd finally ditched E.T and is going for someone his own species," Teddie's eyes darkened, and she made to go for him, only to be grabbed from behind and pulled back.

"As much as I'd love to let you hit him, it wouldn't be the wisest decision," Chase warned his sister. Dillon looked around at the young man who'd stopped him going for the still smirking man, who turned and walked away.

"Let me go," Dillon's words were quiet, but his anger was obvious. Tyler dropped his arm, shaking his head.

"Sorry, but hitting that guy won't help anyone," he shrugged.

"And who are you to say that?" Dillon demanded, his dark look not fazing the other young man. "Who are these people?" he glanced to Teddie.

"Friends of mine, and Arianna's and Philip's," she explained briefly. Tyler glanced to her, his brow furrowing slightly. Chase just rolled his eyes. "I called them to help sort all this out, but it looks like it's just gotten worse when we weren't looking," Teddie folded her arms.

"But how?" Shelby asked her.

"I think we should find Philip and Arianna," Tyler told them, and Dillon's eyebrow arched at the attitude, finding it oddly familiar. "Something is wrong here," he commented.

"Neither are answering their eh," James hesitated, his hand going behind his back as he looked to Dillon. "Phones," he finished weakly.

"Teddie!" the white Ranger jumped and looked around. "Where have you been? You've missed training," Scott frowned as he walked over, clearly in just as bad a mood as Dillon.

"Uh, we were-"

"Wait, Shelby?" Scott blinked as he saw the girl. "What are you doing here?" he asked her, baffled.

"Hey Scott," the former Pink Ranger gave an awkward smile.

"You know each other?" Teddie asked, surprised.

"We're cousins," Shelby explained with a shrug. "Our dads are brothers," she added.

"That explains why I find the Colonel so familiar," Teddie put a hand to her face. "But you have different surnames?" she questioned.

"My dad took on my mum's name when they got married. He wasn't interested in keeping the military way," Shelby explained.

"Yeah, he just became a famous ice cream company owner instead," Chase smirked, and yelped when she punched him.

"So what are you all doing here?" Scott asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We're trying to stop this stupid wedding going through. We thought we _had_ ," Teddie sighed.

"What happen?" Koda asked, tilting his head as he tried to understand.

"Summer's parents showed up about an hour ago," Scott sighed. "Brought with them an army of stylists, designers and everything else. Said that if she goes through with it, they'll hand over this stupid diamond," he muttered.

"There's gotta be more to it than just the Black Diamond," Teddie shook her head, watching Summer as she reluctantly gave in to her parents whims.

"Yeah, well, we all gotta get ready. You too Teddie," Scott rolled his eyes and stomped off.

"Excuse me?" Teddie frowned at him.

"You heard the guy. We gotta look _presentable_ for this," Dillon snorted.

"Hah. Not happening," Teddie folded her arms.

"Teddie," Scott called, hearing her.

"Don't order me, Scott, I swear," Teddie warned him stubbornly.

"Sorry Ted," Spencer walked over, adjusting his glasses and looking annoyed. "But this is one thing you can't be stubborn on. Both the Landsdowns and Philip's father want _all_ the Rangers too look presentable for this, or there'll be trouble. And since Venjix is still after the Black Diamond..." he trailed off, and Teddie groaned.

"This sucks," she declared.

"Oh thank god, you're all here," they looked around as a familiar face skirted over to them.

"Sir Oscar," Ivan bowed politely to him. "Perhaps you can shed some light on what is happening?" he asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," the man who had met them in Amber Beach sighed. "Philip came back a little while ago, insisting that the wedding take place as soon as it could. But something's off with him. He's not...himself," Oscar struggled to describe it.

"I'll say," Kendall nodded. "If he's insisting this wedding go through now," Oscar shook his head.

"No, I mean something's not right. He won't acknowledge anyone unless he's speaking first. It's weird," he told them.

"I don't like this," Tyler glanced to his former team. "We better keep an eye out and see what's happening. We also need to try and contact Arianna," he told them, and they all nodded. "Teddie, you better go get changed and pretend like nothing's wrong," he said.

"But-"

"He's right," Riley spoke up. "If we act like we know something's wrong, then it could cause more trouble. The logical idea would be to play along for now," he said.

"I would have missed your logic, if it wasn't so..."

"Logical?" Olivia smirked.

"Yes," Teddie groaned.

* * *

 _Loud explosions rocked Amber Beach even more as the group of former Rangers tried to help people around them, trying to help those either caught by the debris of destroyed buildings, or guide them away from where the attacks were focused._

" _What is going on?" Jeremy yelled as several large drones shot overhead._

" _I don't know, I thought it was over after Sledge," Kendall shook her head as they regrouped. They heard a loud beeping, and all their eyes widened."Our Dino Comms?" Kendall frowned, as her phone began to ring as well. "Spencer?" she answered the phone as the others opened the link to their comms._

" _Guys!" Teddie shouted as she came into view, seeming to be struggling with something. There were explosions in the background, and she flinched, seeming to be holding onto something. "There's real trouble, the magical realm-" she was cut off temporarily before reappearing. "That virus, Venjix."_

" _The one on the news?" Riley remembered._

" _Yes! Turns out, it's got a bit of a taste for world domination!" there were more explosions, and the group realised that they weren't all coming from Teddie's side. They looked up, and spotted more drones hurtling towards the city. "Get to Corinth! We'll meet you there," Teddie shouted, before the line went dead._

" _Teddie!" Arianna cried, but the link wouldn't connect again._

" _What is going on?" there were more explosions, and the ground shook._

" _Massive robot armies are attacking all over the world," everyone looked at Kendall, who was clutching her phone in her hand, looking ready to be sick. "An evacuation to Corinth city is the last option," she told them._

" _What? But SPD-"_

" _Were the first target," Kendall finished for James. "The base was destroyed and the SPD Rangers lost their powers," she told him gravely. He stared, unable to believe what she was saying._

" _Then we need to do what Teddie said and get to Corinth," Tyler spoke up, authority filling his voice. "Call your families, tell them what to do. Then we go," he said._

" _What? But Tyler, the city-"_

" _We don't have our powers any more Shelbs," the former Red Ranger turned to her, and she saw the fear in his eyes, the need to go back and help as well. He wanted to go back and help, but like they all knew, there was no way they'd do any real damage. "Let's go," he told them, and they nodded. Arianna didn't move as the rest started towards the closest exit of the city, trying to plan out how they'd get to the city._

" _Arianna," she looked up as Philip touched her arm. "We must go," he told her._

" _How could this happen?" she whispered, not moving. "After everything,_ this _is what happens?" she asked, tears in her eyes. "I should help. It's what I've trained for. It's-"_

" _Arianna," Philip forced her to look at him. "The city is destroyed, we have to go, please," he pleaded with her._

" _All those people," the tears ran down Arianna's face and she put her hands to her face. "So many lives lost because we didn't even see this coming," she shook her head, and he hugged her close._

" _We will get to Corinth, but please, you must come now," Philip pleaded with her. Arianna nodded in his arms._

" _Just please, don't leave me," she looked up at him desperately._

" _Never," he vowed._

* * *

Arianna woke with a start, her head pounding, and she pushed herself up.

"Philip!" she cried as she looked around, but all that remained around her were the discarded remains of Grinders that had been destroyed in the brief fight. "Dammit!" she pushed herself up, and started running back towards the Garage.

* * *

"I can't believe I have to do this," Teddie stomped around her room, furious. She wore a pale blue dress with green and gold lining it, looking very different to her usual casual attire.

"You and me both, I don't get why I had to dress up," Nora complained, fixing the red dress she wore. "I thought it was only the Rangers that had to look good," she tightened the blue sash around her middle, and looked up at Teddie.

"We shouldn't have to at all!" Teddie stomped her foot.

"Stop throwing a tantrum," Nora told her, rolling her eyes as she fixed her hair, tying it up. "It's not like we're letting this wedding go ahead," she reminded Teddie, who huffed.

"I know. It just sucks. And there's still no word from Arianna," she complained.

"She'll be okay," Nora walked over and grabbed her arms. Teddie frowned at her. "It'll be okay. So come on, the ceremony starts in a few minutes, get your shoes on," Nora crouched and shoved the heels into Teddie's hands.

"I still hate this," Teddie told her.

"Yeah yeah," Nora waved her off. "Now come on," she pushed open the door, and they made their way downstairs.

"Don't you two lasses look lovely," Flynn smiled, the first to notice them.

"No," Teddie said stubbornly. Nora rolled her eyes.

"Accept the compliment, you brat," she told Teddie, who stuck out her lower lip. "Stop," Nora warned her.

"There's something very familiar about you two," they looked up as Chase smirked. "Kinda like mum and Nick," he commented.

"Oh shut it," Nora rolled her eyes.

"This really sucks. I can't believe I have to do this," Teddie complained. "Any word from Arianna?" she asked them. They shook their heads and she cursed. "Dammit, I guess it's just us keeping on guard," she grumbled.

"Outside seems clear for now," Ivan spoke as the others returned. "Lady Teddie, you're looking splendid," he praised, and she went red.

"Ivan please, don't call me that," she groaned.

"He has a point though, we don't normally get to see you all dolled up," Jeremy smirked, earning a glower. "What do you think Heckyl?" he glanced to the man standing beside him, who frowned at Jeremy, purposely not looking at Teddie as his own face warmed.

"Oh, are you getting embarrassed mate?" Chase smirked. Teddie punched him, going red, before Nora's own smirk grew and she shoved Teddie forwards. She yelped, stumbling in the heels, and Heckyl automatically moved to catch her. Both went bright red, and Olivia snorted.

"When did you transition from wanting to punch him in the face?" she asked Chase, who shrugged.

"He kinda saved my life, I guess I can go a little easier," he pointed out. Olivia chuckled.

"And it means tormenting Teddie," she pointed out, and Chase didn't hide his smirk. Teddie sighed, straightening up, but Heckyl didn't let her go, watching her with a look that made her blush harder and look away. Aware that the others had shuffled away, giggling, Heckyl tilted Teddie's head back up and kissed her.

"You look amazing," he murmured as he pulled back, and Teddie bit her lip to hide her shy smile.

"Thank you," she mumbled, trying not to look pleased by his words. She then looked up again, meeting his gaze. "I missed you," Teddie admitted, watching him as he seemed surprised by her words. She just offered a small smile, and pushed up as he leaned in again. Teddie was glad that despite their teasing, their friends had given them a moment.

"Hate to break this moment up," she sighed as Spencer approached, and broke the kiss to glower irritably at her brother. Spencer just smiled back, not the least bit apologetic. "But the ceremony should be starting soon," he warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Teddie rolled her eyes.

"So, Teddie," she looked around as Flynn and Scott approached. "Who are your friends?" Flynn giggled at Scott's innocent sounding question. Teddie rolled her eyes again, and the others edged back over, seeing that the moment was over.

"My twin bro, Chase, that's Koda, Tyler, Shelby, Riley, Olivia, Ivan, Kendall, James, Jeremy, and Heckyl," Teddie introduced the group, and Chase arched an eyebrow. Ziggy wandered over, and Nora glanced to him, rolling her eyes as she saw his expression, his eyes on Teddie.

"Did you just..." Chase couldn't help but smile in amusement as Teddie winked at him.

"Guys, this is Scott, Flynn, and-"

"Hey!" Olivia exclaimed, pushing to the front. "You, I know you," she accused Ziggy, who stared at her, baffled.

"You do? I don't-"

"You're that guy!" her eyes widened and she stepped back.

"Oli, you okay?" Chase took her hand, concerned for the girl.

"Wait...Olivia..." Ziggy realised where he knew her from as well, and went pale. He looked to Teddie, pleading, and the White Ranger frowned, not understanding.

"Who is he?" Chase asked as Olivia shook. Her head lifted, and they saw her anger.

"He's with the Scorpion Cartel," she hissed.

"Oh Oli," Teddie realised now, and pulled out of Heckyl's grasp to stand between her brother and the Green Ranger. "Bro, wait a second," she pleaded.

"Wait a second? Ted, you _know_ what those guys did. What they're still doing," Chase growled. Ziggy took another step back, and Scottt, Flynn and Nora stepped in defensively.

"He's not with them any more," Teddie defended quickly. "Trust me, he's as far from Cartel as you can be. You really think I'd willingly work with one of them?" she argued, and Chase deflated a little, but still looked angry.

"Look, I'm sorry, I just..." Ziggy trailed off, not knowing what to say to try and appease the two. Nora put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.

"It ain't your fault," she told him. "He's the one who got me to Corinth, so don't judge him for the cartel," Nora told Chase, who arched an eyebrow. Ziggy smiled, before Nora smirked. "Judge him for the fact that he still can't hit me in training," she looked at Ziggy, whose smile dropped as he went red.

"Come on! I'm learning!" he argued.

"Yeah, at the speed of a snail," Flynn snorted.

"Chase, he's the one who actually helped me," Olivia sighed, taking Chase's hand again. The former Ranger relaxed a little more.

"I guess if he's a Ranger, it's for a reason," Tyler commented to his friend. Ziggy frowned a little, remembering that Teddie had said something similar. They looked around as Spencer suddenly slumped, and James and Koda caught him.

"Are you okay?" Kendall asked him softly, and for a moment Spencer didn't answer, looking as if he was in pain. His eyes then flew open, meeting Kendall's, and he gave a small laugh.

"Oh yeah, I'm good," he nodded. He glanced to Teddie, and winked, and she tilted her head, wondering what he had seen. Music started to play, and they looked around, the good atmosphere fading as they realised the ceremony was starting. "Don't worry too much Teddie, enjoy it," Teddie frowned as Spencer patted her shoulder, smirking.

They all went to the seats, none of them looking very happy as Philip walked out. His expression was blank and his movements stiff, making those who knew him frown.

"Oh yeah, something is definitely up with the dude," Jeremy murmured, leaning forwards. They then got to her feet with the rest as the music started up and the lab doors opened. Summer, her face hidden behind a veil, walked out and took her father's arm. They walked up the aisle, and both Teddie and Chase straightened up, their eyes widening.

"What's wrong?" Olivia whispered to Chase. Teddie glanced to Spencer, who winked at her again. Teddie put her hands to her mouth, giggling before she could stop herself.

"What's so funny?" Dillon muttered, hearing her.

"This is gonna be good," she told him with a grin, making him frown.

"Before we begin the celebration of the marriage vows..." Martin began as Summer stood at the front and everyone took their seats. "I would also like to invite you to join me in celebrating the return to us of our daughter. I'm pleased to announce; the old Summer is back, and she's here to stay," he announced proudly. Claire clapped loudly, along with the girl who seemed to be Summer's bridesmaid, while the Rangers remained silent.

"Sir," Scott interrupted the applause, standing up. "Before we welcome back the old Summer, I'd just like to talk to you about the new one," Martin's smile disappeared as Scott told him of the day of the Battle of Corinth, when his jet had crashed and he had been stranded in the waste. He had been too far out for the medics when the shield was about to go up. "Summer was the one to come out into the waste; she brought me back to the city. We barely made it, and we only did because Summer was brave enough to risk her life to save mine," Scott told the stunned man.

"That was the day she gave this to me," Martin rooted in his pocket, and held up the Landsdown Black Diamond.

"What a coincidence," a familiar voice echoed through the Garage. They looked up as Tenaya leapt over the buffet table. "Today's the day I'm going to take it from you!" The Rangers leapt up to try and stop her, only to be knocked off their feet, leaving her to grab the diamond from Summer's father. She twisted his arm behind his back, and shoved him into his wife. The doors to the Garage burst open, and Grinders flooded in with an Attackbot.

"I can't believe you didn't see this coming," Siren walked into view, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"The Landsdown Diamond is ours! And now, your city is doomed to the ashes of extinction," Tenaya laughed, admiring the diamond in her hand.

"Oh, by the way, _love_ the dress Ranger Yellow," Siren ripped off the veil, and her smug look instantly vanished as Arianna smirked back at her.

"Thanks. I'd say I look positively radiant," she told Siren, and thrust out her hand. The Attackbot shrieked as she was blasted through the air by the jet of Mercurian powers Arianna summoned, and she landed in a heap behind the crowd.

"Hey!" they looked up to see Summer on the balcony above. She leapt over it, kicking Tenaya and knocking her flying. "No caterer would put the cake next to a recycled motor oil bin," Summer rolled her eyes. The Attackbot roared and the Grinders began to attack. Leaping to her feet, Teddie kicked off her heels, and cracked her knuckles.

"About time," she laughed, moving in to fight off the Grinders with the others. Arianna turned to Philip, reaching up to turn his face to her.

"Philip, what have they done to you?" she murmured as she saw the bruise by his eye. He didn't seem to acknowledge her, staring blankly.

"He's under my control," Siren walked over amidst the chaos, and Arianna glared at her hatefully.

"Let him go. Now," Arianna ordered. Siren gave a mocking laugh, before Spencer stepped between her and Arianna.

"Hey there. Don't think we've been introduced," he greeted her with a pleasant smile.

"Spencer Bly. Former Gold SPD Ranger," Siren listed, smirking. "The first line of defence for Earth, and crushed far too easily," she taunted. Her smirk faltered, however, as Spencer didn't react.

"Gee, I'm famous," he chuckled. "I'm blushing," he commented. Siren's fists clenched, and she rushed at him. The two started to fight, and Arianna turned back to Philip, trying to snap him out of Siren's control.

"Stay back!" she looked around as William growled at the Grinders approaching him, Katherine and John. Arianna rushed in, using a shield to block the attacks as John shrieked. She then kicked them back, and blasted the Camera Bot when it attacked. "Are you okay?" Arianna asked, turning to them.

"You...you saved us?" William stared at her, stunned.

"Of course," Arianna shrugged, looking a little confused, as if she didn't understand his question. "Get back, we'll stop them," she told them. William looked even more baffled that she was telling him what to do, but Katherine took his hand and pulled him away, and Arianna went back to Philip, who was still completely unaffected by the chaos around them. More Grinders rushed in, only to jerk and collapse to the ground as blue energy travelled through them.

"We'll handle the Grinders near here," Tyler told Arianna as they stood between her and the attack.

"Yeah, you wake that idiot up," James grinned.

"Teddie hasn't told them the truth yet, so no powers, or showing off," Arianna told them.

"Dude, Heckyl _just_ used his," Jeremy complained.

"I have an excuse," Heckyl was standing casually nearby. "That makes a lot more sense than a human turning into a wolf," he commented, and grabbed a Grinder by the head as it rushed past him towards the screaming girl, and pulled it back, tipping it over to the ground.

"You're really annoying, you know that, right?" Jeremy told him. Heckyl just smirked back at him.

"Philip, please, wake up," Arianna pleaded with the young man, who blinked, but didn't react any more than that. She looked around as Spencer easily fought off Siren, who was looking more and more irritated by the moment. Arianna's fists clenched, and she looked up at Philip again. "You told me you wouldn't leave me alone, so wake up. I love you, I'm not going to lose you," she spoke with determination, pulling him down so she could kiss him.

At first there was no response, but then his arms went around her and pulled her up as he responded to the kiss, lifting her into the air. She pulled away, surprised that it had actually worked. He smiled back softly at her.

"I love you too, Arianna, I'm so sorry," Philip kissed her again, and Arianna smiled, throwing her arms around him.

"Hey lovebirds! We still got a fight here!" Teddie called over to them as she slammed a Grinder to the ground.

"She's right," Arianna agreed reluctantly, and Philip set her down gently. It was only then that he realised what she was wearing, and his face lit up red. Arianna realised as well, and she panicked, starting to stutter.

"Come on!" Teddie groaned, grabbing her wrist and pulling the girl away. Nearby, Tenaya finally gained the upper hand against Summer, allowing the Camerabot to use the Black Diamond to gain more power. It then raced outside and grew, before Summer broke free of Tenaya's grasp. She kicked Tenaya aside, and the rest of the Rangers ran to help her. Behind Summer, her parents watched in awe of their daughter.

"Summer, you look..." Dillon trailed off awkwardly.

"Well you look..." Scott cleared his throat as both stared at her. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Radiant? Beautiful maybe?" she suggested with an amused smile.

"Yes," Dillon answered instantly, and Scott nodded. Summer then grabbed her engine cell and her Morpher.

"Ready?" she asked, and the four male Rangers searched for their own. Teddie rolled her eyes again, lifting her engine cell to insert into the Morpher strapped to her wrist.

"Where were you keeping that?" Ziggy asked her. Teddie just winked as Arianna giggled, holding her own.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" they morphed and called on their Zords, combining to make the High Octane Megazord and the Valvemax Megazord. The Camerabot made to attack, but the two Megazords leapt up so the Attackbot looked to the artificial sun and cried out.

"Now it's my turn!" Dillon called. "Valvemax Megazord, charging up!" they blasted the Attackbot, knocking it back.

"Initiate Super Sabre!" the other Rangers finished it off with their own powerful attack.

* * *

Down below, Spencer had chased Siren away as she vowed to pay him back, and they were inspecting the wreckage of the wedding that had been left behind.

"Well, this ain't gonna be fun to clean up," Spencer mused, before hearing footsteps. Dr. K just looked around, seeming irritated by the whole thing.

"Doctor K, I presume," they looked around as Tenaya approached the pair. "If you're as smart as they say you are..." the two backed away, with Spencer standing defensively in front as Tenaya pointed her new blaster at them. "I'm expecting some pretty profound last words here," she smirked as she stood on stage.

"Then I'll speak the universal language..." Doctor K grabbed the electric violin from the stand beside her. "Of music!" she pushed up all the volume switches to full, and Spencer stepped back, putting his hands to his ears as Tenaya realised she was right in front of several large speakers.

"You are smart..." she muttered, and Doctor K smirked before playing a long, very loud, note that sent Tenaya flying. Spencer couldn't help but laugh as Tenaya made a hasty retreat.

* * *

After the battle, the Rangers got to work clearing up the mess left behind.

"Things really can't be normal around you, huh?" Shelby bumped Teddie lightly with her fist as the group headed for the exit.

"And risk them being boring?" Teddie grinned back at her. "Hey, it all worked out in end," she shrugged.

"Yeah, _after_ your tantrum," Chase smirked, ruffling her hair as he passed her.

"You say that like it's a surprise," Riley chuckled, and Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, get out already," she huffed, folding her arms. Olivia hesitated, looking back to where the Rangers were cleaning up.

"About that guy, your Green Ranger," she started, and Teddie glanced over to where Ziggy was bickering with Nora. "You sure you can trust him?" the blonde asked, worried. Teddie smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, we can. He's kind of...inept, but he's got a good heart. He's a good fit," she said softly.

"Huh," Olivia tilted her head. "Seems about right. Good luck with them," she snorted.

"If you need help, you know where to find us," Tyler grinned, taking Shelby's hand.

"Thanks guys. Hopefully it won't come to it, but if it does," Teddie shrugged.

"Just make sure those two idiots don't cause any more trouble," James grinned. Teddie laughed, nodding.

"I'll do my best," she told him confidently, and the group all shuffled out, with Shelby complaining that she wasn't used to the action any more. Teddie then sighed, slumping a little.

"Tired?" Heckyl asked, still beside her.

"Exhausted," she turned and leaned her head to his chest.

"You're the one who agreed to do this, you can hardly complain," he pointed out, and she lifted her head to glower at him. He just smirked back at her, and Teddie pouted. "I missed you too, you know," he words took Teddie by surprise, allowing him to kiss her. Her arms went around him, pulling him down to her. When they pulled apart, Teddie smiled.

"See? You _can_ admit things," she teased, and Heckyl rolled his eyes, and glanced over to where the RPM Rangers were pretending not to be spying on them.

"Then perhaps you can learn to do the same with them?" he suggested, and Teddie's smile faded a little.

"I know. I just need more time," she glanced away, only for him to guide her face back.

"You're the one who taught me to let people in, so you should do the same," he suggested.

"I hate when you're all wise and stuff," Teddie complained.

"Then you must hate me all the time," Heckyl replied innocently, and Teddie laughed, shoving him lightly. "I should go too," he considered, making Teddie pout again. He sighed, kissing her gently.

"So who _is_ this guy Teddie's with?" Ziggy asked as he stacked chairs nearby.

"That is a very long story," Nora sighed.

"One that we don't really talk about," Spencer added in as he walked over.

"Oh, now that just makes me even more interested," Flynn commented with a chuckle. "But eh, Scott, I think this means we might owe Summer some money," she said to the Red Ranger.

"Uh," Scott looked thoughtful. "Maybe we'll just not tell her," he suggested.

"Aye, like she won't find out," Flynn scoffed.

"Ah, just who I was looking to speak with," William's voice commanded attention as the Landsdowns walked back in with Summer, who looked concerned.

"And we were just coming to speak with you," Martin smiled back, and indicated for Summer to step forwards. He put his arm around her, and pulled her closer. "I'm afraid that we cannot let this marriage go ahead," Summer's eyes widened and she broke into a wide smile.

"I see," William seemed surprised by this, before laughing. Everyone watched, silently wondering what was going on. "Well, I must say, that is a relief. I was just going to say the same thing," he confessed.

"Father?" Philip's head tilted, and William turned to him.

"I owe a rather large apology. Both you and Miss. Arianna," the Mercury Ranger straightened up, her eyes wide in shock as William addressed her. "I was a fool, certain that I knew what was best for you. And of course, in my arrogance, missed that she was already with you," William ran a hand through his hair.

"Really?" Philip was still baffled by his father's sudden change of heart.

"I told you to give him time," Katherine spoke up, a hand on Philip's arm. "It takes a while for things to get through his hard head," she smiled.

"Huh, wonder who that sounds like," Teddie commented, smirking at Philip. He frowned at her as Katherine smiled in amusement.

"And you tell me off for those comments," Heckyl arched an eyebrow at her. Teddie went red, and shrugged.

"It's as she says. Thank you, for defending us. And I'm sorry, for giving you such a hard time. I'm glad that you were stubborn enough to fight me on it," William told Arianna, who blushed. Philip took her hand, and both smiled.

"And, you did look beautiful in that dress, perhaps we'll see it again soon?" Katherine's suggestion made their faces light up red, and Arianna became very interested in her shoes, having changed back into her normal clothes.

"Mother, please," Philip pleaded with her as the others tried to hide their giggles.

"I must say, I hadn't expected such a character for your daughter," William confessed to Martin and Claire. "Martial arts, leaping from balconies? She's quite the interesting Landsdown," he told them.

"We know, she's what this family has needed for a long time," Martin agreed.

"And we're very proud of that," Claire pressed a kiss to Summer's head, and the Yellow Ranger's eyes welled up at her parents' approval.

"And now that this is all over, we're going to get dinner," Martin declared. Claire took the bouquet from her daughter, and tossed it.

"The bouquet! I got it!" the bridesmaid Brie, who had been sitting watching the Rangers clean up after attempting unsuccessfully to flirt with Dillon, leapt to her feet. "I got it-" she tripped, shrieking, and fell face-first into the cake as the bouquet landed in Dillon's hands.

"Oh, what a waste of good cake!" Flynn groaned, having spent most of the fight protecting it.

"Well, congrats," Teddie told Dillon as he looked down at the flowers in his hand. When he looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, she burst out laughing.

* * *

 **I'll aim to update as soon as possible!**

 **Until then, happy new year!**

 **Please review!**


	11. Ranger Blue

**I keep getting ideas for other stories...including a Sorcerer's Apprentice fic that I've been wanting to write for a few years at this point. But I'm working on keeping most focus on this.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Ranger Blue

The seven Rangers sat together by the computers at Doctor K's request, with Teddie eating several pieces of toast. She had been in the middle of breakfast when Doctor K had called them all together, much to her irritation.

"As promised, I will now open the floor to any and all questions regarding the Ranger Bio Series suits, vehicles and hardware," Doctor K told them as she stood in front of the screens that showed their suits, Zords and engine cells. Nobody spoke, but looked eager to. "Anyone?" Doctor K quickly grew impatient and rolled her eyes. "Speak now or forever hold your peace!" she ordered. Immediately several hands shot up, excluding Dillon, who didn't care, and Teddie, who was eating.

"What is with the eyes on our Zords?" Scott was chosen first to ask.

"What eyes?" Doctor K frowned instantly as she looked to the screen behind her, bringing up an image of Scott's Zord.

"What do you mean, 'what eyes'?!" Scott demanded, getting up and walking over. He pointed at the big blue eyes at the front of his Eagle Zord. "Right there, at the front of our Zords," he gestured, making Doctor K sigh.

"They are not eyes. They are optical field scanning sensors for your cockpit's H.U.D display," she told him.

"Well, they look like..." Scott hesitated, unsure if he wanted to risk her getting even more annoyed on question one. "They look like..."

"They look like eyes!" Dillon finished for him, growing impatient.

"Big, googly, anime eyes!" Ziggy agreed. Teddie tried to hide her laughter at Doctor K's frustration and choked on her toast.

"Next!" Doctor K called as Arianna patted Teddie's back. Ziggy jumped up before Flynn could speak.

"Ok, so sometimes when I morph, I can't help but notice this gigantic explosion right behind me, for no apparent reason," Ziggy told her, and Doctor K stared at him in alarm.

"I think he's talking bout the residual energy that clears out when we morph," several heads snapped to Teddie in alarm as she spoke. The White Ranger tilted her head. "What?" she blinked, looking innocent.

"You mean the run-offs that are necessary to clear the suit's bio field channels during morph," Doctor K stated. Teddie nodded.

"How do you even know that?" Scott hissed at her.

"I pay attention," Teddie replied, lifting another piece of toast and smirking at Scott.

"I'm referring to the six-story high fireballs, like the one right there!" Ziggy pointed at the footage of a giant explosion following the Rangers morph on screen. "Now, could that happen to me in the kitchen or something?" he asked worriedly.

"Does that mean we should make sure no-one's standing behind us when we morph?" Arianna asked curiously. Dr. K sighed heavily, growing more and more exasperated with the group. Teddie just giggled, having known that it would end up going that way.

"Next!" Doctor K growled.

"Ok," Flynn got up as Ziggy returned to his seat. "When we morph, is it absolutely 100% necessary that we scream, RPM, Get in Gear at the top of our lungs?" the Blue Ranger asked.

"The vocal callout is a voice-recognition safety and security measure," Doctor K's voice was slow and controlled It was times like this that she wondered why she chose, well, most of them to be Rangers.

"But they only respond to our DNA, why does it need a voice recognition safety measure?" Arianna asked, agreeing with Flynn as well. Doctor K levelled a glare at her that made Arianna slip off her seat and duck behind Dillon, who had been sitting beside her. Dillon smirked very slightly.

"Well, maybe we could have a bit of a change?" Flynn suggested, returning Doctor K's attention to him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Arianna returned to her seat to eat the last of her breakfast.

"A change?" Doctor K repeated, her voice issuing the unspoken challenge blazing him her eyes.

"Uh, like um..." Flynn struggled to think under her scrutinising glare. "Rangers to the Rescue, or uh, Rangers, Justice Unleashed," he suggested.

"Justice is an abstract ideological concept," Doctor K snapped. "We deal with tangible realities, not justice. You want justice, go read a comic book," she told him, and Flynn fell silent, deep in thought.

"Tangible realities..." Teddie muttered as she slid off her seat again and walked over to the kitchen to clean her plate. "Two years ago I wouldn't have called fighting Robots as a Power Ranger during the end of the world a tangible reality," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

"You're poking an angry bear Teddie," Dillon warned as he walked past to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Teddie looked around and realised Doctor K was glaring at her, having heard her words. Teddie just grinned unapologetically and Doctor K turned back to the other Rangers with the intention of hearing out the next ridiculous question, before the alarm blamed.

"A shield breach," Doctor K announced as she viewed the report. "Industrial district, Zone 7," they nodded and hurried off, with Flynn finally snapping out of his memories and following.

* * *

"Let's make this snappy, can we?" Tenaya, impatient as always, yelled to the rest of the Attackbots that were with her. "For once it would be nice to get this done before you-know-who show up," she snapped to them.

"Aw, and here I thought you liked our little meetings," Tenaya let out a soft growl in irritation as she turned to see the seven approach. "Sorry Tenaya, but it's a little late to rush," Teddie smirked.

"Attack!" Tenaya barked the order to the Grinders, who rushed at the Rangers. Not finding the need to morph, the Rangers faced off against the foot soldiers. Raising an arm to block the Grinder's attack, Teddie barely felt the pain run up her arm. She spun, swinging her leg and knocking it into the others.

"Wow, you guys really are useless," she grinned, and jumped away, running along a crate before kicking another Grinder upside the head. Grabbing another box, she smashed it over the heads of the Grinders that crowded in front of her, before flipping overhead and kicking them down. Once all the Grinders had been defeated, the Rangers grabbed their Engine Cells.

"Ready?" Scott yelled.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the Rangers morphed, and as Ziggy was distracted by the small explosion already fading, the others leapt into action.

"There! Did you see that? That explosion! I'm telling you, that was just a little one!" he insisted loudly. Arianna glanced around as she ducked under Shifter's arm, grabbing it as her eyes widened.

"Ziggy, watch out!" she yelled, and the Green Ranger looked around just in time to see Tenaya charging at him. Reacting instinctively, he managed to dodge the first kick with a yelp, before she kicked him into a car with a heavy kick.

"Actually Rangers - and this feels so good to say," Tenaya smirked as she flipped Ziggy to the ground. "You are the ones who are too late," she looked around as the Attackbot suddenly grew.

"What! Oh come on!" Teddie whined loudly. "We didn't even get to blow it up the first time!" she complained. "So unfair," she grumbled. More Grinders ambled onto the scene, and the Rangers split up.

"I love Rangers," Tenaya commented, high on the arrogance of assumed victory. Grabbing Ziggy's shoulder again, she hauled him to his feet. "So determined, so heroic, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colours," Tenaya mused.

"And this one is really fed up with you never shutting up!" Teddie yelled as she leapt on Tenaya from behind, forcing her to release Ziggy, who hit the ground with another yelp. "I mean come on, monologging is so not for you," the White Ranger said as she dropped down and kicked out, only for a hand to catch her by the ankle.

"Maybe you could stand to stop talking too," Siren smirked as she flipped Teddie through the air. Teddie landed on her hands, pushing up and flipping right-side up. Nearby, Flynn was fighting off Tenaya as another Attackbot grabbed Ziggy.

"Red is the perfect one, Black is the brooding bad boy, Green's the clown, Yellow's the mothering one, Mercury is the princess and White is the heart, so what are you supposed to be?" Tenaya asked Flynn as she gripped his wrists. He shoved her away, standing tall.

"I'm Scottish!" he declared, fighting her off.

"Heart, she says," Siren scoffed as she shoved Teddie back. "I wonder if your team would agree, if they knew," she commented.

"You can't get to me like that, not again," Teddie warned her, deflecting Siren's punch. "So just shut up!" Teddie went to punch her, only to be blasted from the side. Teddie cried out as she slammed into several crates, and Crunch cackled with delight.

"You have your own!" Siren snapped at him.

"Yours was easier to hit!" Crunch complained as Ziggy backed away from him. Teddie got back to her feet, her suit sparking, and she took a deep breath. Something was off and she could feel it, she just couldn't figure out what. Pushing the thought aside, she ran at Siren.

"Teddie, be careful!" Arianna called as she fought off the swarm of Grinders around her.

"I will!" Teddie shouted back, throwing a punch at Siren. The Attackbot was shoved back several paces, smirking a little.

"Like it or not, little Ranger, but sooner or later you and the others will fail the city, just like you did with the rest of the world," Siren warned her. Teddie let out a low growl.

"You're just a broken record at this point!" she kicked Siren back, and threw out her hand. Golden light lit her hand up, and the ball of energy flew free, slamming into Siren and exploding on contact. Siren let out a cry as she was tossed off her feet, landing on her back. Teddie realised what she'd done, and glanced around, but it didn't seem like anyone had noticed. After a moment, Siren gave a small laugh, getting to her feet.

"Impressive, so that's what you can do," she chuckled, before seeing Flynn freeze up nearby.

' _Rangers, I'm showing a primary suit malfunction in Series Blue_ ,' Dr. K warned the team. Ziggy ran over, kicking the Grinders away as they rushed the vulnerable Blue Ranger. ' _My instruments are showing a time-freeze reversal loop, Rangers, can you confirm_?' she asked.

"Flynn! You okay?" Summer yelled, fighting Crunch off.

"Flynn, talk to me!" Scott shouted as Shifter blocked his path. Flynn didn't respond, and Siren gave a laugh. She held up her blaster, firing it at Flynn.

"No!" Teddie rushed in to deflect it, only for it to explode and toss Teddie aside. She landed on the ground hard, demorphing and lying still.

"Teddie!" Arianna cried out in horror.

"Two down," Siren smirked, and Arianna ran at her to block her path. Nearby, Flynn was still frozen, unable to move at all, and more Grinders swarmed him, with Ziggy struggling to keep them away. He yelped as he was tripped, and one lashed out at him, only for a blast of blue energy to slam into the Grinder. It was tossed away, and Ziggy looked up in shock.

"What?!" Shifter growled as he forced Scott back several steps. Heckyl strode by, crouching beside Teddie and touching her face. She groaned, opening her eyes to look up.

"What are you doing here?" she mumbled.

"Making a dramatic entrance and saving you, as always," Heckyl replied, and Teddie gave a mocking laugh, sitting up.

"I think it's normally the other way around," she told him, flinching.

"I doubt that, I had quite the entrance saving Arianna," Heckyl argued, before standing up as the Grinders began to approach.

"Who _are_ you?" Tenaya growled as she shoved Dillon away. Heckyl didn't respond to her, lifting his hand as it began to glow blue. He threw it out, and the blue energy bounced through the Grinders, making them jerk and crash to the ground, turning to dust.

"What?" Dillon's eyes were wide as Heckyl gave Siren a dark look. She backed away, before turning and running over to Tenaya. She grabbed her wrist, stopping the other Attackbot.

"We can't face him, not right now," she hissed to Tenaya, who scowled as Crunch and Shifter reached them. Tenaya fired a blast, and they disappeared in a cloud of smoke as the Attackbot shrunk down and vanished.

"They're gone," Summer breathed, before turning to Flynn. "Flynn!" she called, but he still didn't move.

"Hey, come on," Ziggy went to touch his arm, only for Heckyl to catch his wrist. "Hey!" he yelped as he pulled free, backing away as Heckyl studied Flynn's frozen form, his goggles over his eyes.

"I wouldn't touch him," Heckyl warned.

"What's wrong with him?" Teddie asked as Arianna helped her over.

"The energy is stuck," Heckyl answered her as lights flickered around Flynn. "But it's draining fast, he should be released from it...now," Flynn jerked and his suit flashed, before he demorphed.

"Flynn!" Scott caught him as he fell forwards.

"My suit...what happened?" he groaned, exhausted.

"That's what I'd like to know," Scott frowned. "And you, how'd you do that?" he demanded as Heckyl pulled down the goggles and turned to Teddie, examining her injuries.

"You're not human, are you?" Summer asked, her head tilting as she spoke softly.

"No," he answered shortly.

"We need to get Flynn back to the Garage," Arianna spoke up, seeing how exhausted the Blue Ranger was. "And figure out what exactly caused this," the others nodded, still watching Heckyl curiously.

* * *

After getting Flynn back to the Garage, most of the Rangers had gone back out to find out what was Venjix had planned. Flynn was recovering while Dr. K looked into what had happened with his suit power.

"That was fun," Teddie grumbled sarcastically as she slumped down on her bed, and immediately regretted it.

"I think we got off lightly, all things considered," Heckyl leaned against the wall, watching her. "Why aren't you healing yourself?" he questioned, watching her carefully.

"I'm fine," she muttered.

"Teddie-"

"I'm fine!" Teddie insisted when Heckyl looked sceptical. He sighed heavily, and walked over to her. She yelped when he poked her shoulder, making the pain burn where she was hurt. "Not cool," she growled at him.

"Then heal yourself," Heckyl told her firmly. Teddie's jaw tightened in a stubborn expression, and he rolled his eyes. "Teddie, why are you doing this?" he asked, stepping back from her.

"Just drop it," Teddie looked away, her gaze dark.

"No, not this time. You're hiding everything from them, who you are, your time as a Ranger before, why?" Heckyl pushed.

"Heckyl-"

"Do you not trust them?" he asked.

"Of course I do!" Teddie frowned.

"Well, is it me? I tried to destroy you and your friends for some time, do you not want them to know because of that?" Teddie stood up, her eyes wide.

"No! You _know_ that we don't hold that against you," she told Heckyl, who despite the mild relief he felt that he wasn't the cause, kept pushing her.

"Then why won't you tell them?" he asked.

"Because I'm _scared_!" Teddie finally yelled, giving in. "I'm so damn _scared_ , Heckyl, because if they know I was a Ranger before, they'll know I _failed_ ," tears ran down her face as she stared at him.

"You failed? Teddie, you didn't-"

"Yes I did!" Teddie pulled back as he went to touch her. The tears kept coming, and she put her hands to her face. "I could have helped more. If I still had my powers, if we hadn't used them up destroying the Dark Energem, we could have done something, helped more people, stopped this from happening," she confessed the thoughts that had plagued her for a year.

"Teddie, look at me," Heckyl pulled her hands down, forcing her to look at him. "Nobody understands that more than me, you know that. I still blame myself for Sentai-6's destruction," he reminded her. "And what was it you said to me about that?" he challenged. Teddie wiped her eyes and took in a shaky breath. "They won't blame you," Heckyl put a hand to her face, and Teddie nodded.

"I'm-" before she could apologise, he kissed her softly, and Teddie gave a soft sigh. After a moment, they separated, and Teddie tilted her head. "Huh. Who'd have thought you'd be good at the pep talks," she teased, smiling softly, and he rolled his eyes.

"Please, you try keeping Sledge's prisoners in line," he scoffed.

"I thought you did that with fear?" Teddie asked, tilting her head.

"Not just fear, but I did find that to be a strong motivator for them," Heckyl admitted, lifting his hand and letting the blue light flicker to life. Teddie watched it, drawn to the energy it emitted. "You have a much different reaction to them," he told her as he let the energy fade.

"Yeah, cause I know you're not about to turn me to dust with it," Teddie replied, and he arched an eyebrow.

"You're very sure about that," he told her, and moved suddenly. Teddie couldn't stop her squeal as he lifted her into the air and pressed her against the wall, making her giggle as her arms settled on his shoulders.

"Of course I am," she told him, kissing him again. After a moment, however, she paused, pulling away as her brow furrowed.

"What's wrong?" Heckyl asked, setting her back down.

"I...I think I know what that Attackbot was doing," she murmured, not looking up as she seemed deep in thought. "I have to get out there," Teddie moved to go to the door, and flinched. "Urgh, fine," Heckyl flinched, averting his gaze as a glow flickered to life across her skin. It flickered unsteadily for a moment, before glowing brightly, and after a minute it faded. "Better," she sighed.

"Told you," Heckyl rubbed his eyes.

"Nobody likes a know-it-all, Heckyl," Teddie told him as she lifted her jacket and pulled it on.

"Tell that to Shelby," Heckyl sniffed, making her smile.

"Come on," Teddie laughed, taking his hand and pulling him out of the room.

1-2-3-4-5

Looking around the wreckage of the area where the Attackbot had appeared before disappearing just as abruptly, Teddie was quiet as she walked along the rubble.

"Come on..." she murmured to herself, jumping up onto another rock. It shifted slightly, but she didn't seem to notice.

"What's she doing?" Summer asked, glancing over.

"I ask myself that a lot of the time. I rarely get an answer," Heckyl told her, glancing over to Teddie as she hopped over to another rock.

"I just can't figure out what the Attackbot would want here," Scott shook his head. "It's just an industrial warehouse for cleaning supplies," he shrugged.

"It's not about what's in the warehouse," Teddie landed beside him, making him jump. Scott narrowed his eyes at her, wondering how she always got the jump on him.

"Then what was it doing here?" Dillon asked, frowning.

"It wanted what was under the warehouse," Teddie answered. "Corinth is an unlucky city, there's two major fault lines that run under it," she gestured to the ground.

"If the Attackbot buried down..." Scott frowned.

"It could use the magma as an energy source. That explains how it suddenly popped up like that," Summer realised. Teddie nodded.

"How did you know that?" Ziggy stared at Teddie, who tilted her head.

"I know my geography dude," she answered. Heckyl rolled his eyes. "But that's not the point. If it then goes to the other and dumps the lava there, _that's_ when we have a real issue on our hands," Teddie warned them.

"We better let Doc K know," Scott decided. "Summer, you come with me. Teddie, you, Dillon and Ziggy head out to try and get a look around to see where it'll pop up next. Do you know where that other fault line is?" he asked.

"Course," Teddie snorted.

"Good. Call us if there's trouble," Scott told them. Teddie saluted, and they watched as Scott and Summer ran off.

"We better go, the other fault line is across town," Teddie said to Dillon and Ziggy. They nodded and took off, and Teddie turned to Heckyl. "Don't tell me to be careful," she warned him.

"As if you'd listen," he sniffed, rolling his eyes. "Just try not to die, I'm sort of attached to you," he told her. Teddie blinked, her eyes wide.

"You are?" she gasped.

"I know, I was surprised too," Heckyl told her seriously. Teddie giggled, pushing him lightly and kissing his cheek.

* * *

Spencer hummed to himself as he looked over the information on his tablet

"Do you have to do that?" Dr. K asked irritably.

"Do what?" Spencer asked, looking up with an innocent look. Dr. K was not fooled, having worked with Teddie for a year, and gave him a droll stare. After a moment, he gave a guilty smile. "Sorry, it's a bad habit," he shrugged.

"Well, hum quieter, I'm trying to work out why the Series Blue suit malfunctioned," Dr. K grumbled, turning her attention back to the screens in front of her.

"Any luck?" Spencer asked, walking over to her.

"It's probably the return of an energy flow glitch that plagued the Series Blue suit during initial development," Dr. K explained briefly.

"Series Blue was _plagued_ , was it?" Flynn, who had been standing behind her, impatiently quiet as he waited for answers. "Now you tell me," he complained.

"What was this glitch?" Spencer asked curiously, peering at the screens.

"You wouldn't understand," Dr. K dismissed, and Spencer arched an eyebrow, glancing to Flynn. The Blue Ranger rolled his eyes.

"Try us," Spencer told her. Dr. K gave a loud sigh that was meant to deter them, but neither backed down.

"Fine," she stopped, and turned to face them. "Due to the Blue colour Series time-field manipulation properties, many of the series' basic system elements exist in a fourth-dimensional field where time is suspended. Because time does not move forward on this plane of existence, there is a build-up of run-off energy that can reverse the polarity in the electron field, channelled through the Series Blue suit during Morph-Cartridge-Injection sequencing," Dr. K finally stopped to take a breath.

"Okay..." Flynn blinked rapidly. "Can you say that again, but in layman's terms?" he requested, a little overwhelmed.

"That _was_ layman's terms," Dr. K told him flatly.

"What she said was that because the Blue suit has the ability to freeze time, it works on a different level to everything else, where time isn't a thing," they glanced around at Kendall, who was standing beside Spencer and looking at the screens, fascinated. "And because of that, the energy cannot disperse and builds up, and can eventually reverse the ability so instead of everything _else_ freezing, the user themselves freezes." the brunette explained.

"Now _that_ I understood," Flynn said happily.

"I thought you were a Palaeontologist," Dr. K arched an eyebrow, her tone still as irritable as Spencer laughed to himself. Kendall gave a light shrug.

"I have a PHD in Computer Engineering as well," Kendall told her.

"And you chose to go out with Spencer?" Flynn smirked. Spencer gave a small shrug.

"Hey, I'm charming," the young man argued. Kendall rolled her eyes and shot him an irritated look. Spencer just smiled back at her.

"All you need to know," Dr. K said to Flynn. "Is that Series Blue is offline, until I can divert the energy run-offs," she told him, and Flynn frowned at her.

"Offline?" he repeated. "With that thing still out there? What am I supposed to do, then?" Flynn complained.

"You can help us," Spencer patted his shoulder. "Come on dude, we got some investigating to to do," he smiled, and Flynn's frown grew, wondering just what Spencer was doing.

* * *

"Dr. K," Summer called as she and Scott walked in, followed by Arianna, who had met them on their way back to the Garage. "You want the good news or the bad news?" she asked.

"Good news," Dr. K glanced up from what she was looking.

"The good news is we figured out exactly what Venjix wanted in that warehouse," Scott told her. Arianna tilted her head as Summer went to the computer and brought up the map of the city.

"Then what's the bad news?" Arianna asked curiously.

"It's what's under the warehouse," Summer answered. "Teddie figured it out, somehow. Two major seismic fault lines run under Corinth City. Venjix used the Attackbot to drill through Fault Line One," she gestured to the fault line shown on the map. "Then it sucked up enough molten magma to power it up to an enormous size," the Yellow Ranger told them as they looked at the map.

"If the Attackbot were able to drill into the second fault line and deposit the lava there..." Dr. K considered as she pushed Summer off the chair and sat down to take a look herself.

"Then it would throw off the pressure valves at the two faults," Scott continued.

"That would trigger a volcanic eruption that would destroy the entire city at _least_ ," Arianna breathed in horror.

"Teddie, Dillon and Ziggy went out to the area where the second bolt line runs under the city," Summer said, and Dr. K immediately opened a communication line with them.

"Rangers Black, White and Green, have you any visuals on Venjix's Attackbot?" she asked.

' _Well uh..._ ' Teddie answered slowly.

' _Kind of, yeah,_ ' Dillon sighed.

' _It's right on top of us_!' Ziggy yelped. Dr. K looked to Scott and Summer, who nodded and ran out to help.

"Rangers Black, Green and White, maintain visual on the target, Red and Yellow are on their way," she told them.

' _Well they better hurry, because this thing has found the spot it's been looking for_ ,' Teddie warned them.

* * *

Teddie cursed under her breath, her eyes closed under her helmet. She could feel the fault line now that she was focused on it, and knew that it was the perfect spot for the Attackbot to inject the magma to create an eruption.

' _I'm down-Morphing the Croc-Carrier to you now_ ,' Dr. K announced. ' _If that Attackbot succeeds in drilling to the fault line, Venjix will have won_ ,' she warned them.

"We know!" Teddie growled, summoning her Zord. The three formed their Megazord, and faced against the Attackbot that stood.

' _Report, is the Attackbot still drilling_?' she asked.

"No!" Dillon groaned as the Attackbot stood, its nozzle starting to glow. It spat out a jet of molten lava, making them yell as the Megazord struggled to withstand the heat.

"Yeah, only because it's too busy blasting us with a stream of _molten hot lava_!" Ziggy yelled as the temperature inside the Megazord went up.

* * *

After hearing that the Attackbot had reappeared, Flynn had returned to the lab, where Arianna was waiting impatiently.

 _'Doc, Summer and I are arriving on the scene now_.' Scott and Summer Morphed; their suits disappearing from their cases nearby. Flynn stared at his suit, frustrated.

"Look, they can't sequence the Megazord without me, I've got to go and help them!" Flynn insisted. Dr. K rolled her eyes.

"Your suit won't work without clearing the energy build-up," she replied, holding his Morpher. "Trust me, I build it," the genius said as she set it down and went back to what she was doing.

"Well, is there anything I can do?" Arianna asked hopefully.

"No. The Deer Bike Zord that your suit was designed to work with was never completed," Dr. K answered her without looking up. Arianna's shoulders slumped in her frustration. "It looks like Series Red and Yellow have come across multiple Attackbots," Dr. K frowned as the readings popped up.

"Siren and Tenaya," Arianna realised. "I'm going out to help," she said, giving Flynn an apologetic look as he stared at his suit. She then turned and ran out to help.

* * *

Summer let out a cry as she was tossed to the ground by a powerful sound wave.

"Come on, I thought you were tougher than that, rich-girl," Siren taunted, clearing her throat as she approached the Yellow Ranger. Above, the Attackbot continued to dominate against Dillon, Teddie and Ziggy.

"Don't call me that," Summer growled as she got back to her feet.

"Why not? I would call you a Princess, but I reserve that for-"

"Jet Fists!" Siren went flying as a Grinder slammed into her, and Arianna stood beside Summer. "Are you okay?" she asked, helping the Yellow Ranger up. Summer nodded, smiling under her helmet.

"Yeah, thanks," she said to the Mercury Ranger, who smiled and turned back to Siren. The Attackbot had tossed the Grinder into a wall, and it lay twitching on the ground.

"Okay, _fine_ ," Siren growled as she got back to her feet. She let out another powerful shriek, tossing both to the ground with the resulting sound wave. Tenaya then kicked Scott, and he landed nearby with a groan. Hearing footsteps, they looked around to see Flynn arrive.

"Flynn?" Summer gasped.

"What are you doing?" Arianna called to him as he grinned confidently. Tenaya scowled, gesturing with her weapon. The remaining Grinders rushed Flynn, who easily knocked them away.

"I couldn't think of any reason not to re-reverse it during standard Morph," he spoke to Dr. K through his Morpher. He then knocked more Grinders back. "The only drawback, we might get one of Ziggy's run off explosions," he kicked the last Grinder back. "On a gigantic scale," he then flipped over the heads of Siren and Tenaya, landing in front of the three fallen Rangers. "And that may not be the worst thing in certain situations," Flynn laughed as they looked up in surprise. He glanced over his shoulder as Tenaya glared at him. "RPM, GET IN GEAR!" he Morphed, and there was a massive explosion behind him that destroyed the Grinders and sent Tenaya and Siren flying. "You miss me?" Flynn laughed as he helped Scott up. "At least, that's the way _I_ figured it, you know, in Layman's terms," Flynn then ended the link with a stunned Dr. K.

"That was amazing!" Arianna laughed. Flynn grinned, the adrenaline already rushing. "You guys get into the fight up there, I'll handle these guys," she told them, holding up her weapons. They nodded, calling on their Zords to form the High-Octane Megazord as Arianna ran in to take out the last of the Grinders.

"Our shields are going down, we're going to cook at this rate!" Teddie warned as the systems flashed around her. "We can't take another hit of lava!" she cried. They took a punch, and went down, before the Attackbot turned and was hit by the other Megazord.

"Initiating Super Sabre," Flynn called confidently as the Valvemax Megazord got back up to stand with them. The Attackbot blocked the first strike, but was hit with the second, and they rushed in, managing to strike down the Attackbot. It exploded, and Flynn smiled, proud of his win.

* * *

"Hey Flynn, that was awesome back there," Teddie called to Flynn as she saw him return to the Garage. "Doc K still looks super stunned," she giggled. Flynn smiled, proud but a little embarrassed.

"Thanks lass," he nodded, before looking around and taking a seat beside her. "Before I went out, Spencer had me help him and Ms. Morgan with an investigation," Teddie's smile faded a little bit.

"He's looking into Fresno Bob, right?" she asked, and he nodded.

"We were looking through the systems to see what we could find on his plans," he reached out, lifting a peach from the fruit bowl. "Your brother needs to stop pinching my fruit, by the way," Flynn added, taking a bite. "A few names popped up that he's been looking into. And you know them all," he accused. Teddie sighed, and nodded.

"My brother's former team, the B-Squad of SPD, and Arianna and Heckyl," Teddie looked down at her notebook, shutting it over.

"Lass, how do you know the only two aliens left on Earth?" Flynn asked. "And how'd you know about the fault lines under the city?" he pressed. Teddie closed her eyes, and when she took a breath, Flynn heard the ragged intake.

"I can't tell you yet," she finally spoke, sliding off the seat.

"Why not?" Flynn asked her, baffled.

"Because I don't want you to hate me," with that, Teddie strode off, leaving the Blue Ranger very confused.

* * *

 **Next up is Ranger White!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	12. Ranger White

**This was a fun one to write! Hope you enjoy it!  
**

* * *

Chapter 12: Ranger White

Flynn hit the ground in the lab with a loud thud, groaning as he lay sprawled on his back.

"And another win to Teddie," Summer commented as Ziggy reluctantly handed over money to Dillon, who smirked. Teddie offered her hand to the Blue Ranger, her hair falling into her face as she smiled.

"You're just too fast lass," Flynn clapped her hand to his and let her help him back to his feet.

"I need something against you, you're too strong," Teddie replied with an innocent smile.

"Aye, you say that now..."

"But we've seen how you kick Grinders across the damn street," Dillon finished with a snort.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Teddie denied, still looking innocent, her brown eyes big as she turned to the Black Ranger. "I'm a delicate flower," she insisted.

"A delicate flower who just put the Blue Ranger on his butt," Arianna commented, her arms folded and an amused smile on her face. Teddie just shrugged and walked over to the side so Arianna could spar against Ziggy. As they did, Teddie's smile faded a little, and she looked down at her hands.

* * *

Sitting cross-legged on her bed a while later, Teddie looked at the framed picture in her hand. Taken not long after Jeremy had joined the team, it showed the whole Dino Charge team together, their Energems shining brightly in the cave. All of them smiling – even Kendall, albeit a shy smile – proud that they'd finally managed to locate all 12 Energems.

With a sigh, Teddie reached up and her fingers touched the stone around her neck. Just a copy made with the combination of technology from Kendall, and magic from Ari, it served as little more than a reminder of their time as Dino Charge Power Rangers.

"If we'd had our powers...could we have helped?" she wondered quietly, tears in her eyes as she thought about the power they'd possessed. The power they used up in the final battle to destroy the Dark Energem. With a heavy sigh, Teddie fell back, looking up at the ceiling as she held the picture to her chest.

* * *

 _Hitting the hard ground with a groan, Teddie opened her eyes as the sky above her spun._

" _So close," Chase winced sympathetically for his sister as a dark haired young woman stood over her with an amused smile._

" _You're still playing too defensively, Ted," Diana told her gently, offering a hand. "Your speed is a good advantage, but not if you don't_ take _advantage," she advised as Teddie got back to her feet, brushing herself off._

" _Wouldn't have thought Teddie would be told to use more offence," Chase commented to Olivia, the two having been watching the sparring._

" _Your powers should be swapped," Apollo, Diana's brother and Teddie and Chase's uncle, grinned, having been watching as well._

" _Or maybe they should be seen as advice," Althea suggested as she approached. Teddie rubbed her lower back, still feeling the blow._

" _Hey, I know how to fight defensively," Chase argued._

" _Says the self-proclaimed Hot Shot," Olivia rolled her eyes. Chase shot her a frown. Teddie just sighed, reaching up and slipping the gemstone around her neck back under her shirt._

" _Anyone else still feel...off?" she asked, her eyes lifting after a moment. Olivia frowned, but the others nodded._

" _What are you talking about?" the former Forest Ranger asked them curiously._

" _There's a darkness in the air," Althea clarified for her. "Not quite as strong here as it is in your world however," she considered._

" _It's a weird feeling," Teddie admitted, rubbing her arms. "In a way, it's sorta like when Ryan had bonded to the Dark Energem, kind of an uneasy feeling," she explained._

" _But I felt that too," Olivia reminded them._

" _This one's more subtle. Like...a calm before the storm," Teddie suggested. "Last time it was just this heavy feeling, this is quieter," she explained to Olivia, who still didn't get it._

" _Why can't you people ever make sense?" she complained._

" _Because then everyone would learn magic," Chase smirked._

* * *

Teddie was snapped from her memories of the past as the alarm blared, and she frowned, setting down her picture and jumping off her bed. She grabbed her jacket, shrugging it on as the number 6 stood out on her back in white against the black, resembling a swan.

"What's up?" she called to the others who were already gathered down by the computers.

"There's a breach at the Eastern sector," Dr. K warned as she brought up the map of the city. Red lights shone to show the attacking force that had managed to get into the city. "They're headed for the Climate Control Centre," she added.

"I don't like where that's going," Ziggy commented.

"Let's go," Scott ordered the team, breaking away to go for his car.

"What the hell could they want there?" Teddie wondered, grabbing her helmet. She kicked her bike to life and followed Summer out, heading towards the attack.

* * *

The soldiers stood guard outside the Climate Control Centre let out cries as they were thrown to the ground, their ears ringing from Siren's scream. With a chuckle, she walked over and grabbed one by the upper arm, forcing him back to his feet. He grabbed for his gun, but Tenaya ripped it from his grip, smirking.

"Nice try," she mocked.

"You'll let us into the building, won't you?" Siren asked sweetly, and he glared at her.

"Never," the man vowed. Siren just laughed.

"You say that like you have a choice in the matter," she then began to sing, a sweet melody, and the man's eyes grew unfocused.

"Fist of Stone!" they looked around, just as a stone fist slammed into Siren and she was tossed several feet away. A golden ball of light then clipped Tenaya and exploded, and she hit the ground as well.

"We meet again ladies," Spencer greeted with a pleasant smile as he cracked his knuckles. Syd straightened up, her hand returning to normal as she checked on the soldier. He shook his head, his focus returning. He then looked up at the pretty blonde helping him, and his eyes widened.

"You're-"

"Get yourself and the others to safety, we'll handle this," Syd ordered him, and he nodded, running off to help the other two. Tenaya pushed herself up and scowled.

"You'll regret that!" she vowed, firing a blast at Syd. However, Sky intercepted, moving his arm to create a shield. The blast exploded, and the two were unharmed.

"So they really do all have powers. Quite the coincidence for the team," Siren considered, tapping a finger to her head.

"You're not getting in here," Sky warned them as the three former Rangers stood together.

"Please. You didn't stop us last time, you won't stop us this time either," Siren mocked.

"She really is a broken record," Syd commented. Spencer hummed in agreement.

"I suppose Venjix didn't program them to think for themselves," Sky added, and both Tenaya and Siren reacted with fury. They rushed at the three and began to fight, calling in Grinders as they did. Tenaya smirked, and Sky let out a grunt as pain exploded in his stomach, and he staggered back as he put his hands to the burn that had ripped through his uniform.

"Sky!" Syd cried out in horror, rushing to his side. Spencer managed to block the attack aimed at the former Pink Ranger, and she crouched beside Sky as he struggled to try and get up. "Spencer!" Syd pleaded with her friend as he blocked the attacks from both Siren and Tenaya.

"Give me a minute Syd!" Spencer groaned as his shield began to crack. Syd glanced to Sky, who nodded, and she stood up, a hand over her other.

"I'll give you more than a minute," she told him, and Spencer looked around. Realising what she meant, he dropped the shield, and Syd rushed in. Tenaya went to attack, but Syd's fist collided with her chest with unexpected force. She straightened up as Tenaya hit the ground and didn't get up, and Siren saw her shimmering diamond hand.

"You carry some expensive weapons," Siren commented.

"I'm engaged, you think I _don't_ have a big sparkly diamond?" Syd retorted. Behind them, Spencer started to glow, and the burn across Sky's stomach slowly began to heal.

"Glad to see you're still my med kit," Sky managed to smirk through the pain, and Spencer shot him a droll stare.

"Don't make me regret saving your ass Commander," he told the young man, who laughed weakly.

"Is Syd okay?" he asked, and Spencer looked up, just in time to see Teddie kick Siren away.

"Back off Siren," the White Ranger warned as the Attackbot just about stayed on her feet. She looked up, her mouth curved in a scowl, as the other Rangers arrived, already Morphed.

"Uh, I don't mean to alarm anyone, but uh," Ziggy hesitated. "Is Spencer glowing?" he asked, and they all looked around to see Spencer healing Sky.

"What?" Scott's eyes were wide.

"They didn't know?" Syd asked Teddie, surprised. Teddie sighed.

"Now they do," she shrugged. "Guys, later! We've got these two clowns to deal with!" she called to her startled team. Syd couldn't help but smile, seeing the resemblance between her and Spencer.

"Clowns?!" Tenaya repeated as she finally managed to get to her feet. "I've had enough of this," she growled as Siren tossed her hair back.

"Don't let them get to you, after all, they'll fall, just like those failures did," she sneered, turning to the Rangers. "Tell me, what makes you think you can stop us, when the mighty B-Squad failed?" Siren asked the team.

"Who?" Dillon asked, confused.

"Wait, B-Squad?" Ziggy repeated, turning to the three in shock.

"Actually, what makes you think that you can stop Venjix, when so many other Rangers couldn't?" Siren taunted.

"Enough!" Teddie was in front of her, faster than any of them had realised, and she kicked Siren hard in the stomach. The Attackbot choked as she was thrown backwards from the force.

"Other Rangers?" Dillon repeated, confused as the others ran in to help.

"Dillon, later, please!" Arianna pleaded with him, and he looked up as they were surrounded by Grinders.

"They don't know, do they?" Siren asked as she got to her feet, facing Teddie. "You're ashamed that you failed, you know they'd never want someone who couldn't protect the world the first time to help," she taunted, and saw Teddie's fist clench tighter. "I knew it," she laughed. "You're so pathetic, White Ranger. Let's see how you handle this without your protector," Siren rushed her, and Teddie blocked her attack.

"My protector?" Teddie repeated, giving a small laugh. "You've got it so wrong," she pushed back, and then darted forwards again. Siren barely dodged her strike, noting the much greater speed. "I don't _need_ protecting," Teddie told her, moving around Siren and calling on her hammer. Siren was tossed through the air again, landing beside Tenaya.

"You don't need protecting? Then deal with this!" Siren snapped her fingers, and the Rangers were blasted off their feet.

"Anyone else getting really tired of that?" Ziggy complained as everything hurt.

"I'm way past tired," Teddie muttered, before hearing Arianna's sharp inhalation. She glanced to her best friend, who hadn't moved from her knees, and Teddie frowned, following her gaze. Her eyes then widened as horror settled in the pit of her stomach. "That... _no_ ," she breathed.

"Like it?" Siren was smirking.

"Spencer, is that...?" Syd asked, and Spencer looked up. He swore.

"Dammit, she's gonna kill me," he muttered.

"What is that thing?" Dillon asked as the Rangers got back to their feet.

"It's not a normal Attackbot," Summer frowned, taking in the black armour.

"What are you two planning?" Scott demanded. "What is that thing?" he asked.

"Ask your Ranger White," Siren told him simply, and Scott frowned. They looked around at Teddie, who hadn't taken her eyes off it.

"But... _why_?" she demanded, unable to stop looking at the Attackbot who bore an uncanny resemblance to Snide.

"Teddie, what is going on?" Flynn asked her.

"It's a very good likeness, isn't it?" Siren commented. Teddie took a deep breath, trying to control her anger. Her entire body was shaking as she stepped forwards.

' _Ranger White, your energy levels-_ ' before Dr. K could warn Teddie, she'd grabbed her hammer again and slammed it against the Attackbot.

"Shove it Doc, I don't need it right now," Teddie hissed as she stood straighter. "You picked the wrong monster to try and scare me, Siren," she told the Attackbot.

"It's not meant to scare you, Ranger White, just throw you off so it's easier to defeat you," Siren smirked, and snapped her fingers. The Attackbot got back up and walked over to her side. "And besides, I think you have a few things to explain. See you later," Siren wiggled her fingers in a wave as they walked away.

"Get back here!" Teddie yelled, but Arianna grabbed her, stopping her from chasing them.

"Teddie! Please, you need to calm down," the Mercury Ranger pleaded with her.

"Of everyone she could pick!" Teddie yelled, tears burning at her eyes. "She picked him?!" her voice broke, and she sank to the ground as the tears ran down her face.

* * *

 _Heckyl leaned against the tree, his arms folded as he seemed deep in thought, paying no heed to the passers-by. Outside of Rock Porium, Jimmy panicked as a gust of wind scattered the leaves that he'd just finished sweeping._

 _With a roll of his eyes, Heckyl angled his head, and Teddie's hand missed, swinging through the air over him._

" _How'd you know?" she complained, upside down in the tree above him._

" _You were trying to be stealthy?" Heckyl asked with mock innocence._

" _Don't be mean!" Teddie whined._

" _You're late, again," he told her, and watched as Teddie swung and leapt from the tree, landing in front of him nimbly. "Showing off doesn't change that," Heckyl told her as she smiled at him. Teddie blushed at his words._

" _I was training, I'm sorry," she pouted, and he rolled his eyes at her expression._

" _It's fine, I'm used to it by now," he told her, giving in to the puppy dog eyes she used to her advantage. Teddie couldn't help but laugh._

" _I'm not always late," she told him, moving closer to him._

" _I think you're the only one who thinks that," Heckyl answered quietly, and moved in, kissing her before she could respond._

" _And the brother is here to ruin the moment with one word. Ew," Chase declared as he walked over._

" _Is there ever a moment that you aren't around?" Teddie asked her brother as she stepped back, looking at her brother with irritation. He smiled back pleasantly at her._

" _You mean like you whenever I'm with Olivia?" he retorted._

" _You're both as bad as each other," Heckyl told them._

" _Are not!" the two chorused, insulted. "We're heading to Amber Beach to meet up with the others, you're coming too, right?" Teddie asked Heckyl, wrapping her arms around one of his._

" _As long as I'm not being threatened with being fed to the dragon, I'll go," he agreed, letting Teddie pull him along. Chase watched for a moment, sighing as despite his attitude, Heckyl seemed to soften around the former White Ranger._

 _The ground suddenly rumbled, throwing them all off balance._

" _Uh," Teddie straightened up, her finger's still curled around Heckyl's sleeve. "What was that?" she asked._

" _You're the Earth girl, you should know," Chase told her, but Teddie shook her head._

" _Whatever it was, it wasn't natural," she warned them, making the two frown._

" _Then-" before Heckyl could ask, there was another tremor, this time followed by loud explosions nearby._

" _Something's attacking the city!" Teddie realised with horror, and took off._

" _Teddie!" both Chase and Heckyl called after her, but she didn't stop. They followed her, headed right for the source of the noise. People fled, screaming in terror from the attacks, and Teddie stopped, looking around at the destroyed buildings of her birthplace._

" _What is happening?" she wondered, looking around with her hands to her mouth. She couldn't sense anything magical about the attack._

" _Teddie!" she was tackled to the ground with a yelp, and blasts flew overhead where she'd been standing. With one arm still around her, Heckyl moved, raising his other hand and throwing it out. The pale blue light burst free and collided with strange robots that had approached in the chaos. They jerked, and crumpled to the ground._

" _You guys okay?" Chase called as he caught up to them._

" _Y-yeah," Teddie nodded as they got back to their feet. "Thanks," she said softly to Heckyl, who was frowning at the robots._

" _What are they?" he questioned._

" _No clue mate," Chase muttered._

" _They're the start of your end," the three looked up as another figure walked into view. Another robot, this one was mostly black in colour and much taller than what they quickly guessed to be footsoldiers. "So I would run, if I were you," he mocked, his voice oddly smooth for a robot. The three looked at each other, before moving into fighting stances._

" _You're not us," Teddie warned as her hands lit up golden._

" _Oh? You must be some of those_ heroes _I've heard about," he commented._

" _He reminds me of Singe," Heckyl complained, his own power lighting up as he lifted his hand up._

" _Let's see how you manage against this," the robot snapped its fingers, and more of the footsoldiers swarmed the three._

" _Wish we could still Morph," Chase grumbled._

" _If wishes were horses and all that bro," Teddie moved first, and threw her hands out. The balls of energy exploded on contact, and the robots crashed to the ground. Heckyl then used his own powers, destroying more. Their leader gave a small laugh, running a hand along what seemed to have been designed to look like hair._

" _So you have some power," he commented, and raised his own blaster, firing it. Chase blocked it with his shield and the attack bounced off, but the shield cracked and vanished._

" _Chase!" Teddie cried as the robot fired another blast. Her brother was knocked to the ground, and Heckyl collapsed unconscious. "No!" she scrambled to his side as Chase stared in horror._

" _One down," the robot commented idly, lifting his blaster again. Teddie turned, tears in her eyes, and her hands shone with green magic. Vines burst from the ground and took the robot by surprise, attacking the footsoldiers and wrapping around him. Teddie then turned back to Heckyl, starting to glow as she healed the burn that had clipped his side._

 _Chase's fists clenched as a hole was burned through the vines, and the robot stepped out unscathed._

" _Impressive. My Master would be very interested to hear just what you humans are capable of," he commented._

" _You haven't seen the half of it mate," Chase warned, running at him. The robot attacked, and the two began to fight in the middle of the street._

* * *

Teddie was pacing in the lab, her tense form advising nobody to ask what had happened out in the fight.

"I haven't found them yet, Ranger White, can you please stop pacing? It will not enhance my speed," Dr. K requested, peering over her monitors to scowl at Teddie.

"Okay, enough," Dillon had had enough as Teddie ignored Dr. K. "I want some damn answers," he growled. "What was that Attackbot about? What was Siren talking about, and _why_ was he glowing?" Dillon demanded, turning his gaze to Spencer, who was leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"You were part of B-Squad, that's what she said," Ziggy accused. Spencer sighed.

"Yes," he confirmed. The Green Ranger's eyes grew wider.

"What does that even mean?" Dillon seethed. Summer put a gentle hand on his arm, and he relaxed slightly.

"Remember we told you about SPD, the police force who protected the world from alien forces?" Summer reminded him, and Dillon nodded. "B-Squad were Power Rangers who were the front-line of that defence," she explained, making Dillon frown even more.

"Power Rangers," he repeated, and she nodded. He looked at Spencer again. " _You_ were a Power Ranger?" Dillon questioned. Spencer nodded.

"B-Squad were _the_ best," Ziggy spoke up, still staring at Spencer. "They were famous, _and_ they had powers," he accused. Spencer just shrugged in response.

"So people said. But we still failed," his voice was quiet, and Ziggy deflated as he saw the darkness in Spencer's expression.

"Spence, it wasn't your fault," Arianna told him.

"So you mean to tell me," they looked at Dillon again. "That there were other Power Rangers out there? Before us?" he questioned.

"Before us?" Flynn repeated, and gave a small laugh. "Man, there were a lot of other teams before us," he told the Black Ranger, who just seemed more confused.

"Then...then why didn't they help?" he demanded, looking to each of the others, who didn't respond. "The world was under attack, isn't that what Power Rangers fight to _stop_?" Dillon asked.

"Dillon, you don't understand-"

"I understand plenty!" Dillon snapped as Arianna tried to speak up. "If there were other Power Rangers, why didn't they stop this from happening?" he demanded.

" _Shut up_!" Teddie finally exploded, and golden light filled the room as her skin lit up with energy.

"Teddie," Spencer warned her, and she took a breath, tears lingering in her eyes as she willed the glowing to fade.

"Uh... _what_?" Scott breathed as they all stared at her. Teddie glared at Dillon furiously.

"You have _no_ idea what you're talking about," she told him angrily. "Why didn't we stop this from happening? You don't think that question doesn't haunt each and every single damn one of us every night? You don't think that if I'd still had my powers, I wouldn't have fought with every bit of strength I had to stop Venjix from attacking? From _killing_?" she demanded.

"Teddie..." Arianna breathed, her hands to her mouth.

"I see Teddie still goes big when she explodes," Nora muttered, her arms folded as she watched as well.

"What are you talking about?" Dillon demanded, his own anger giving way to confusion. "Why do you say that like-"

"Like I was one of them?" Teddie finished for him in a sneer. "I'll give you one guess," she stood taller.

"Wait, just hold on a second," Scott put a hand to his head. "Teddie, you're saying you were a Power Ranger before?" he questioned, struggling to process what had just happened.

"Yes," she answered with a nod.

"That...how?" Flynn asked, shaking his head. "I don't..."

"She's telling the truth," they looked around in surprise as Philip walked in, and Arianna smiled weakly at him. "I apologise for eavesdropping, but the yelling made it quite easy," he apologised.

"And what do you know about this?" Dillon frowned at the young man who stood with Teddie and Arianna.

"You really didn't think it strange that we were friends?" Philip asked simply.

"Wait, you're saying that _you_ were a Power Ranger too?" Ziggy asked, slightly sceptical, and Nora snorted.

"Dude, you really have no right to sound like that," she told him, and he went red, glaring weakly at her as she smirked back.

"Alright, enough," Spencer sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sorry Doctor K, I'm borrowing a screen for a moment," he apologised as he walked past her.

"Fine," Dr. K didn't even look up from her work. Linking his tablet to one of the monitors, Spencer brought it on the screen.

"What is this?" Flynn asked.

"The Ranger files, one of the few things saved when SPD fell. Unfortunately it also got into Venjix's virtual hands," Spencer explained as they all gathered around. "Here's the proof you seem to need," he brought up several files on screen.

"Dino Charge?" Dillon repeated.

"They were the team in Amber Beach," Summer's eyes were wide.

"Power of 12 Energems..." Flynn spoke aloud as he read the summary. "Wait, isn't Shelby Watkins your cousin?" he glanced to Scott, who took a deep breath.

"This is really leaving me with more questions than answers," he complained.

"You and me both," Dillon commented as he read it.

"Well this explains why Siren recognised me," Philip mused. "Though I must admit I take offence over the comment about it taking a while for my Energem to bond to me," he complained.

"Dude, you were holding onto that thing for like a week before you figured it out," Teddie pointed out, making him blush. She smiled slightly, and Arianna nudged her as Philip rolled his eyes.

"What's with the links connected to some of the names?" Summer asked curiously.

"Uh," Spencer paused. "They would be links to other files," he answered.

"That's a lot of files," Ziggy went to the computer before they could stop him. "Your Red Ranger is related to the Red and Pink Overdrive Rangers?" he glanced to Teddie.

"That one was obvious, Ty's a Hartford, most of the Overdrive Rangers didn't keep their identities secret," Teddie shrugged.

"Pink is related to Scott..." their Red Ranger groaned loudly. "Graphite? Really? Not really a colour, is it?" Ziggy glanced to Philip, who arched an eyebrow.

"Dude, really, stop the judging," Nora rolled her eyes.

"Linked with our own Mercury Ranger," Flynn pushed Ziggy away to investigate himself.

"Spencer!" Arianna exclaimed, blushing. Spencer chuckled.

"What? You guys are linked," he snorted as both Arianna and Philip went red. Teddie put a hand to her face, knowing exactly what they were going to find.

"And let's see about Ted-" Flynn stopped as multiple files popped up. "What on Earth..." he stared at the various different files, and turned to Teddie. The White Ranger sighed heavily.

"Okay, fine. If it's all to come out now," she shook her head. "Both Chase and Spencer were Rangers...but so were my parents," Teddie confessed.

"Your _parents_?" Scott repeated, going to the screen to read it as if it would tell him any different. "Your _parents_ are Power Rangers?" he asked her. Teddie glanced away.

* * *

 _Chase hit the ground with a groan, his entire body aching from the fight with the robot that had been attacking the city. Overhead, large drones flew through the sky, blasting the buildings and causing them to crumble._

" _Dammit..." he muttered, pushing himself to his feet as he started to glow. The pain faded, but his energy was starting to drain. The robot laughed mockingly._

" _Persistent fellow, aren't you?" he commented as Chase took a deep breath, ready to keep fighting._

" _You have no idea," he replied, and darted forwards. He dodged the punch thrown at him and moved around the robot, before hearing beeping behind him._

" _Chase!" Teddie's boot slammed into the head of the robot, and Chase rolled out of the way of the blasts from the other robots, and their leader hit the ground._

" _Thanks Ted," Chase nodded as the two stood together._

" _This is proving more entertaining that I imagined! Master Venjix will be_ most _interested!" the robot got up, not seeming even remotely damaged._

" _We need to get out of here," Chase muttered to Teddie._

" _Heckyl's out," Teddie shook her head, unable to stop herself from glancing to the unconscious man. Chase groaned, moving back into a fighting stance, before vines burst from the ground. He glanced to Teddie, who was looking at them with surprise as well as they caught the robot and forced him to stay still._

" _Shining Sun Attack!" he let out a cry as if feeling the pain as golden light slammed into him. He jerked, and ripped free from the vines, turning to blast his attackers, only to have to defend himself from the sword lashing out at him._

" _Are you guys okay?" Xander called as he reached them, Morphed and carrying his Magi-Staff._

" _Dad, what's going on?" Teddie asked as the explosions grew louder._

" _Remember that computer virus that's been causing problems for SPD?" he asked as Ari fought off the robot. The two nodded, remembering Spencer had mentioned it. "It's self-aware, and decided we're not necessary any more. Its armies are storming the world," Xander's heavy words made their eyes widen._

" _Then...what do we do?" Chase asked._

" _The other Mystics are evacuating the city and getting everyone into the magical realm. We need to get there now," Xander told them. They nodded, but Teddie didn't take her eyes off the destruction of her birthplace. "Teddie," Xander grabbed her shoulders, making her look at him. "We need to go. It's not safe here," he warned her. Teddie's fists clenched, but she nodded. Xander helped haul Heckyl up, balancing his arm over his shoulders, and led the two former Rangers away from Ari's fight._

 _The rest of the city was in as bad condition as they headed to the portal for the Mystic Realm, guiding anyone else they could find there too._

" _Guys!" Nick was standing at the entrance, his fire swarming the robots and melting them easily. "Have you seen Nora?" he asked._

" _Wasn't she in the Magical Realm?" Xander frowned as he passed the still unconscious Heckyl to Chase and Teddie, and helped to fight off the robots attacking the people escaping._

" _We haven't seen her," Nick shook his head._

" _She'll be alright Nick," Xander told him confidently, kicking another robot back._

" _Where's Ari?" the Red Ranger asked._

" _Fighting one of these creeps," Xander explained. "I think a possible leader," he added._

" _Great. Let's hope she takes him out quickly, I don't know how long we can hold these guys off for," Nick admitted, and turned, swinging his sword and cutting through another. "Do you know anything about the other cities?" he asked._

" _Looks like the broadcast is saying to get to Corinth, that was the final message from SPD before..." Xander trailed off, and Teddie and Chase exchanged looks._

" _Is Spencer okay?" Chase asked._

" _He's fine, the team's safe," Xander answered, but his voice was grim. "They had to sever their connection to the Morphin' Grid, to stop this virus from getting in there," their eyes widened. The SPD Rangers had lost their powers. That left them down a team and a lot of power._

" _What about the other teams? Everyone who still has power?" Teddie asked._

" _Trying to evacuate their cities but..." Xander paused. "There's too many of them. This army is nothing like what any of us have faced before," he admitted._

" _It's built only for one thing," Nick knew what he meant. "Wiping us out," he murmured. There was a loud thud, and they looked around quickly to see Ari on the ground, her armour shattered and a burn across her shoulder and collar._

" _Ari!" Xander raced to her side as Ari struggled to keep focused through the pain. She started to glow, and the burn began to heal slowly as they heard a laugh. Looking up, the group found the robot approaching with a massive army of more._

" _So much for the Legendary Protector," he mocked. "And you've led us right to where we wanted," he chuckled._

" _The Magical Realm..." Nick muttered._

" _Master Venjix will be very pleased to hear that I helped to conquer not one, but two worlds," the robot shrugged as Ari got back to her feet._

" _There's only one thing we can do," she realised, glancing over to the portal. "Nick, we gotta seal the portals," she told him, and his eyes widened._

" _What?! But Ari, that needs to be done from both sides!" he reminded her._

" _I know," she nodded, and he hesitated. "Nick, you know it's our only hope right now. Otherwise these creeps will get through, and we're not strong enough to take them all out," she warned._

" _The other Mystics are on the inside...Ari..." Nick still was reluctant to agree._

" _Come on Nick, after all this time, you still don't trust my plans?" Ari grinned at him, but her fear was obvious._

" _You're still crazy, and I swear," Nick turned to the portal. "If you die out here, I'll find a way to bring you back and kick your ass," he vowed._

" _Oh, tough talk from someone called the Light," she mocked._

" _And you're still a brat," Nick told her, and glanced to Xander. He nodded, and Nick passed through the portal._

" _Xander-"_

" _Don't even think of it Ari," he interrupted her. "Like hell I'm going through there and leaving you," Ari smiled softly, reaching out and taking his hand._

" _Oh? What are you planning now?" the robot asked._

" _Guys, your choice," Ari turned to Chase and Teddie. "You can stay here, or in there where it's safe," she offered._

" _Mum..." Teddie stared, before snorting. "Like that was ever a choice!" she rolled her eyes._

" _We wouldn't really be heroes if we went, would we?" Chase grinned._

" _Oi! You better not be planning to leave me then!" he whirled around as Olivia burst out of the portal, looking furious. "Chase, I swear, I'll kick your ass," she warned him furiously._

" _Oli, if you stay-"_

" _Shut it, you eejit," Olivia told him sharply. "I'm staying on this side," she said._

" _Okay, then buy me a minute, it's gonna take time to cast this spell," Ari walked past them._

" _I can manage that," Xander nodded._

" _She couldn't stop me and she's supposed to be a legendary hero. What hope do three children and a washed up Power Ranger have?" the robot asked them with a laugh._

" _Children?" Teddie repeated, offended._

" _We'll show you," Xander raised his staff. He fought the robot, with Chase and Olivia helping out, and Teddie's eyes widened._

" _The others," she murmured, digging out her Dino Com. It was damaged, having been bashed around from earlier._

 _It beeped for a minute, before the link opened and she saw her friends, who seemed to be having the same trouble in Amber Beach. "Guys," Teddie shifted as Heckyl slumped in her grip, and Olivia blasted the robot back with a jettison of water. "There's real trouble, the Magical Realm has to be sealed off," the connection seemed to cut out for a moment, and she shook her the device. "That Virus, Venjix," she started as the rest of the Dino Charge Rangers reappeared._

" _The one on the news?" Riley asked. His clothes were covered in dirt and soot, with a fine layer covering his hair._

" _Yes!" Teddie looked up as Chase blocked a blast, but was shoved back from the force. "Turns out, it's got a bit of a taste for world domination!" she warned them, and explosions echoed through the Dino Com as Olivia hit the ground. "Get to Corinth! We'll meet you there," Teddie told them, before the Dino Com beeped and went dead. "Dammit," she whispered, hoping that her team was okay._

* * *

"My parents did everything they could to save people. And they did. Right now, most of Briarwood's population is safe in another world," Teddie explained softly, tears lingering in her eyes. "But Venjix's army was like nothing _any_ of us have faced before. It was built to wipe humans off the planet. We had no chance," she shook her head.

"Teddie..." Summer watched her, and walked over to the White Ranger. "You didn't tell us because you thought we'd blame you, is that it?" she accused.

"How could you not?" Teddie shrugged, meeting her gaze. "I have these powers, this legacy, and none of it mattered. Venjix still won-"

"But he hasn't won lass," Flynn shook his head. "Not till we give up," he told her, and Teddie frowned. "Like you said, there's people still alive out there, and there's people still alive in here. Venjix hasn't won yet," he reminded her.

"Seriously Teddie," Scott was grinning, his arms folded. "You really thought we'd hate you because you were a Ranger before? Because of this?" he gestured to the screen behind him. "That's a little self-centred, even for you," he teased her, and Teddie blushed.

"I think we're all just more annoyed that you didn't tell us," Dillon commented.

"Dude, two minutes ago you were practically about to lead a mob to find the other Rangers," Teddie arched an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged.

"Yeah well, your little tantrum helped snap me out of that mentality," he told her. Teddie went even redder.

"So what happened? With your parents," Ziggy asked curiously. Teddie glanced to him, and sighed.

* * *

" _Almost there..." Ari murmured, her hands glowing golden but flickering as she worked to seal the portal with Nick._

" _You three are just proving to be a nuisance," the robot complained, and blasted the ground. Both Olivia and Chase were thrown back, unprotected without Ranger suits, and Xander rushed him. He swung down, and his axe embedded in the metal chassis of the robot's torso. "Impressive," the robot laughed._

" _You're going down," Xander vowed, raising his wand. However, the robot's eyes shone bright red, and Xander felt his wand being blasted from his hand. He was then kicked back hard, and landed on the ground beside it as his suit shattered. He rolled over, and found his Mystic Morpher was a charred mess._

" _I believe it is you who is 'going down'," he looked up in alarm as the robot stood over him, and he raised his hand. He summoned vines that wrapped around the robot, but more footsoldiers blasted through them._

" _Dad!" Teddie cried out in horror, before blue light shone around the blaster in the robot's hands. It was yanked away, landing by Teddie's feet as Heckyl straightened up._

" _Oh?" the robot glanced to him idly._

" _Sorry for the delay. I had a hard time waking up," Heckyl put a hand to his head as it throbbed, and lifted his other hand. It shone with blue energy, and he threw it out, destroying the footsoldiers and shoving their leader back._

" _Get down!" Ari's sudden yell made them look around as the portal shimmered violently. They dove to the ground as a shockwave exploded out, slamming into the robot and tossing him away. When it faded, they all got back to their feet, coughing as they inhaled the settling dust._

" _The portal's gone..." Teddie murmured._

" _We don't have time to mope," Ari was pulling Xander to his feet, and handed him his destroyed Morpher. "We have to go now, before more of those robots get here," she told them, and they nodded._

* * *

"My mum was almost killed, and my dad lost his powers. But they kept the Magical Realm safe, and we got to Corinth," Teddie explained. Spencer was looking at the ground, his expression haunted as he thought back to it as well.

"Magical realm..." Dillon snorted. "I guess there are weirder things going on," he sighed.

"Now you're getting it," Teddie told him.

"I still find it hard to wrap my head around," Philip spoke up.

"Yeah well I'm still having trouble accepting that a Prince was a Ranger," Ziggy replied.

"Is that so hard for a former gang member to believe?" Philip replied innocently, and Ziggy paled as the others hid their laughter. Teddie grinned, running a hand through her hair.

"Hey Ted, what's this other file, on your boyfriend?" Flynn asked, but as he went to open it, Teddie grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"That's a whole other can of worms that we are not opening," she told him, her gaze firm. Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Oh, more secrets," Scott commented. "What are you hiding now?" he pressed.

"It's nothing important!" she insisted, before turning to Spencer. "Why was that file even there?" she demanded.

"Well, I suppose it's like with Arianna and Philip," Spencer shrugged, looking innocent. The two glanced to each other with amused smiles as Teddie looked far from the same. "You're linked, and have been since he saved you from that truck. And you know...everything that happened after," he added. Teddie went to speak, only for Dr. K to interrupt.

"I've found them," the genius declared, and the screens changed to a map of the city.

"Okay team, let's go," Scott told them, and they nodded.

* * *

Tenaya looked around for any signs of trouble, impatient.

"What is taking so long?" she demanded, turning to Siren as she sang to an injured soldier. His eyes glazed over, and he turned, limping towards the gate.

"You can't rush music, Tenaya," Siren replied, her usual smirk visible under her mask.

"Well speed it up a bit, before the Rangers-"

"Show up to kick our butts?" Tenaya growled and looked around to see Teddie balancing on the gate, her arms folded and a pleasant smile on her face. "Too late," she sang.

"I don't like that smile on that B-Squad Ranger either," Siren commented.

"Inherited trait," Teddie answered.

"And we don't really like it either," Dillon's voice earned their attention, and the two looked around to see the rest of the Rangers.

"Aw Dillon, you don't?" Teddie asked, hurt as she pouted.

"Why would I ever?" he snorted.

"You're so mean!" Teddie wailed dramatically.

"Come on guys," Scott laughed, shaking his head. "Let's go," he told them.

"Yes, let's," Siren snapped her fingers, and the robot designed to look like Snide approached again. It stumbled, however, as Teddie landed on its shoulders, and leapt up, flipping through the air and landing beside her team.

"That thing is just a lousy imitation of something born from real darkness," she warned them. "And I'm happy to send it to the same place we sent the real Snide," Teddie declared.

"Don't you think you should explain that to your team?" Siren called. "How you pride yourself on such _successful_ wins against Sledge, against Arcanon?" she asked.

"If you'd told us this from the start, she wouldn't be banging on about it now lass," Flynn commented. Siren's smirk fell at his words.

"Thanks for the push Siren," Teddie told her. "Turns out, the only ones dwelling on it, were you and me," she told the Attackbot.

"Ready?" Scott called.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the team Morphed, and called on their weapons as Grinders appeared all around them.

"You mean to tell me that none of you care that the heroes of the past failed so badly?" Siren demanded.

"Like Teddie said," Arianna met her punch with one of her own, and both were pushed back from the force. "You two were the only ones dwelling on it. And she's finally moving on from it," Siren let out a growl as she faced the Mercury Ranger. Nearby, the Attackbot was thrown backwards by Teddie's powerful hammer strike.

"I'm so glad I trained with Minos so much," she commented, spinning the hammer and resting it over her shoulder. "I learned a thing or two from that old bull," Teddie grinned under her helmet.

' _Ranger White, your energy levels,_ ' Dr. K contacted her, and Teddie tilted her head.

"What are you talking about Doc? I feel great!" she laughed, and dodged the Attackbot's blast of energy.

' _Precisely. Your energy levels are perfectly stable now_ ,' Teddie's laughter faded at Dr. K's words as she realised what that meant. ' _You have full clearance to use your suit's ability. It would seem that being honest for a change has helped you_ ,' Dr. K commented.

"You knew, didn't you?" Teddie accused.

' _Of course I knew. I did extensive research on all of you_ ,' Dr. K replied.

"You never fail to impress me, Dr. K," Teddie grinned, and dropped her hammer with a thud. She ran at the Attackbot, punching it and throwing it off balance. She then took a breath, focusing her energy.

"What's she doing?" Dillon asked as a white aura surrounded Teddie.

"Get down!" Scott shouted. The Rangers hit the ground, and a shockwave burst from Teddie as she let out a yell. The Attackbot smashed into a wall as the Grinders were destroyed, and Tenaya and Siren were tossed aside.

"Looks like she finally got her suit's ability down," Summer smiled.

"Let's finish this," Teddie called to her team, who nodded.

"Weapons combine! Road Blaster!" the Rangers combined their weapons and aimed it at the malfunctioning Attackbot. "Engine Cell, Activate! Fire!" with a powerful blast, the Rangers destroyed the Attackbot.

"So much for your brilliant plan," Tenaya muttered as they slunk away in defeat.

"Oh shut up," Siren snarled at her.

* * *

"I have to say, I thought I'd reached the limit on weird," Dillon commented, his arms folded as he leaned against the wall, watching. "I was wrong," he declared. Arianna giggled from beside him, her hand in Philip's as they watched.

"Look, I said I was sorry!" Ziggy yelped as he struggled in the air.

"And I said not to go snooping in that file," Teddie didn't look up from her book, one hand raised and glowing green as she levitated Ziggy in the air.

"It was right there! It was too tempting! Please can you let me down, I don't like heights!" the Green Ranger pleaded with her.

"You pilot a giant shark, how are you scared of heights?" Flynn asked as he took a drink of his smoothie, watching Ziggy struggle to remain upright. "But uh, now that you've read the file, how about you share?" he asked with a grin.

"Would this file be about me, by any chance?" Teddie's eyes widened and Ziggy let out a shriek as he was dropped to the ground as the magic faded. "What's this I hear about you fighting a Snide lookalike without me?" Heckyl asked Teddie, standing behind her. She stood up quickly, and gave an innocent smile.

"Well it wasn't really Snide, it was-wait, how do you know?" she asked, and he glanced to Arianna, who shuffled behind Philip. "You're a traitor," Teddie told the Mercurian.

"Consider it more repayment for teasing me," Arianna told her as she peeked out. Teddie stuck her tongue out, before turning back to Heckyl.

"Hey, you finished him off the last time," she reminded him, her hands on her hips. "And I'm still mad you never told us you'd gotten hurt," Teddie added, and he rolled his eyes.

"I almost died saving your friend and that's the thanks I get?" he retorted. Teddie nodded. "So why didn't you tell me about this?" he asked.

"I, uh..." Teddie glanced around. "What's that!" she gasped, but nobody looked. She sighed, and suddenly pushed in, kissing him briefly before darting away when he was taken off guard.

"I'm really starting to question how she was a Power Ranger before," Dillon commented as Heckyl sighed.

"We all do sometimes," Philip told him as Arianna giggled.

"I just question how the hell I fell in love with her," Heckyl muttered, following her out.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	13. Doctor K

Chapter 13: Doctor K

"It's about time," Teddie blushed at Ari's exasperated words. She looked up from her hands to her mother, who was standing in the kitchen making food. "Honestly Teddie," her mother laughed, turning to her and smiling. "You kept the secret better than I ever did, but seriously, you worry too much about what they think of you," she teased. Teddie's blushing grew.

"This was different to the last time," she defended.

"I know, there's a difference between hiding your heritage and your own legacy," Ari agreed. "But you need to trust people. Especially your team," she told the White Ranger.

"I know," Teddie agreed, watching as Ari scratched her collarbone. Her fingers pulled at her t-shirt, and pulled down the collar enough to show the edges of a scar she'd gained during the fight to stop Venjix's forces from entering the Magical Realm. While she'd healed, she'd not healed herself entirely, and it had left behind a reminder of the fight.

"I'm happy for you, you know," Teddie frowned, her gaze lifting. "You've grown, and from what I've seen from the footage, you've got a good team with you. _And_ ," Ari's smile grew. "You have Arianna to keep an eye on you," Teddie smiled back at the thought. She then checked her watch, and sighed.

"I gotta go, I can't be late for this meeting with Doc K," she said, and hugged Ari. "Tell dad I said hi," Teddie called as she grabbed an apple on her way out.

"Not late huh?" Ari murmured, and chuckled. "I suppose there's a first time for everything," she commented.

* * *

Resisting a whimper as he pressed the bag of ice to his shoulder, Ziggy couldn't help but glower at Nora, who was closing the freezer door. She glanced up, and arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously? I even apologised," she said as she took a seat at the counter. "You should be paying attention," Nora told him.

"I was. You were treating me like a punching bag," Ziggy complained as she took a drink. Nora's eyebrow rose higher as she looked at him, and she set her glass down.

"You spend half your time complaining, and the other half panicking," she told him flatly. "You're never going to learn how to fight an help your team if you don't take it seriously," Nora told him.

"I was taking it seriously, you're just a machine," Ziggy retorted, and immediately regretted his words. He looked up again and saw Nora's expression, which was deceptively calm, but her eyes seemed to blaze. "I didn't-" he was cut off, yelping in alarm as she flicked her hand and melted the ice in the towel, immediately soaking him. She stood up, and stormed off. "Nora!" Ziggy called, but she went up into her room without a word.

"Ouch, that didn't seem too good," Ziggy jumped, jerking up as Teddie spoke from behind him. He whirled around as she tilted her head, looking innocent as she bit into the apple she held in her hand. "She must trust you if she's using magic around you," she commented before Ziggy could speak. He then snorted.

"Yeah, sure," he turned away and shrugged off his jacket. "She takes every opportunity to put me on my ass," Ziggy complained.

"You sure about that?" he frowned at Teddie's innocent question. "Isn't she the one who offered to help train you?" she asked. The Green Ranger hesitated, not sure what to say. "Nora's...well, for a lack of better word, fiery. She's hot-headed and after a year out in the Waste, she's bound to be a bit closed off. But she's passionate and puts her heart into what she does," Teddie smiled. "From what I've heard, she's just like her dad when he and mum were younger," she considered.

"So you're telling me I should just put up with it?" Ziggy asked her, not understanding. Teddie shook her head.

"Accept her, but help her adjust. We don't know what it was like for her outside of the dome. She considers you her friend Ziggy, otherwise she wouldn't use her magic so freely in front of you," the White Ranger explained, and snapped her fingers. He looked down in surprise as his clothes were instantly dried, and Teddie just smiled and walked away. Ziggy sighed, watching her as she approached Arianna, hugging her friend.

"Oh man, do you have it bad," Flynn chuckled behind him, making Ziggy jump.

"Wh-what?" he stammered, aware his face was betraying him and bringing a blush to his face.

"Come on man," Flynn took a drink of his smoothie. "You've had a crush on Teddie since you met her. Just remember that she's crazy about her man," he warned the Green Ranger.

"Yeah, the guy with a split personality who tried to kill her and destroy the planet," Ziggy muttered.

"You may wear the Green suit, but jealousy doesn't suit you," Flynn told him simply, and walked away.

"Why's everyone so preachy today?" Ziggy grumbled to himself, rubbing his shoulder.

* * *

"What we're looking at is a dramatic spike in the current levels of Venjix technology," Dr. K explained as she showed the findings from the wreckage of recent Attackbots. "Into the areas of theoretical molecular manipulation, inverse physics, and exponential energy transfer," she continued. Arianna glanced to Teddie, looking confused, and found the White Ranger looking concerned.

"Excuse me, Dr. K," Colonel Truman spoke up from the video link he had from his command room. "But...what are you trying to say, exactly?" he asked her, embarrassed.

"She's saying that Venjix has evolved past the Ranger technologies," Spencer spoke up, his arms folded as he frowned.

"You mean they're stronger than us?" Arianna surmised. Spencer paused, and nodded, looking grim.

"Hold on," Ziggy spoke up, frowning. "Their stuff can't be better than our stuff, can it? I mean, we're the good guys, right?" he asked, stopping Dr. K as she walked away.

"It's not that simple," Teddie spoke up. "There's been plenty of times that the bad guys have been stronger," she shrugged.

"And we've not had any new firepower since we got the second Megazord running," Teddie reminded the baffled team. "That was the whole reason we started looking for a Black Ranger; Venjix' evolving way too fast for us to keep up," she explained.

"Doctor, what about the new Megazord configuration?" Scott spoke up as they all followed Dr. K into the lab. "You said that if we merged _all_ of the Zords-"

"I can't get it to work," Dr. K answered, stopping Scott in his tracks. They frowned at her words. "The energy required to make it viable will require an additional flux over-thruster," she explained.

"Wait, _another_ one?" Dillon demanded, remembering the issue they'd had the last time. "Where are we supposed to get another of those things?" he questioned.

"We're not," Dr. K shrugged as she met his gaze.

"There's no way we could build one," Teddie shook her head.

"We aren't," Dr. K confirmed, but this just left them even more confused.

"So, are you telling us to just give up, Doctor?" Summer questioned her as they all exchanged looks.

"I'm telling you I don't have the answers," the young genius responded, and there was an immediate reaction as Summer, Scott, Dillon and Flynn all immediately started trying to talk over each other. Arianna bit her lip, worried, as Teddie sighed and Spencer rolled his eyes. The former B-Squad Cadet stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled, immediately shutting them up.

"Enough. Dr. K might not have all the answers now, but that doesn't mean you can just devolve into anarchy. _You_ are this city's only hope against Venjix, and that includes you, Doctor," Spencer glanced to her, his green eyes piercing her. "You have to be _patient_ ," he ordered.

"Taking lessons from Kayden?" Teddie teased him, and winced as he pressed his knuckles to her head.

"Spencer is right," Ziggy spoke up, pushing in front to face Dr. K. "Because there's one important question we need answered. Are we, or _are we not_ , the good guys?" he asked her seriously. Spencer sighed heavily as Nora rolled her eyes.

"Tell me, what's it like?" Doctor K requested earnestly, staring at Ziggy with a baffled look.

"What's what like?" he asked, leaning closer.

"Being stupid your whole life," Ziggy slumped at her harsh words. Nora smirked. "Is it as wonderful as it seems?" she asked him, her mind seeming to drift into a memory.

"That's kinda harsh..." the Green Ranger muttered to himself.

"Well in her defence, it's a dumb question," Spencer told him harshly, and Teddie put her hands to her mouth to try – and fail – to hide her giggle. "Of course you're the good guys. That doesn't mean you're going to be stronger than the bad guys automatically. It takes work," he told the group.

"Spence is right," Teddie agreed.

"Speaking from experience?" Dillon smirked, and Teddie rolled her eyes, but there was no irritation behind it.

"Yes," she answered honestly. "Not long after we became the Dino Charge Rangers, Sledge showed up on Earth to see for himself. He trashed us, hard. And he did so again later after he got the Purple Energem. We worked to get stronger, and that's how we won. It was thanks to Ms. Morgan, really," Teddie shook her head as she considered it.

"Same with us and Kat," Spencer agreed. "God, I miss her, she really kept us in line," he chuckled, before seeing the concerned looks. "Oh, she's safe, we sent her and Boom to protect the rest of the SPD tech and get it off the planet," he explained.

"Keeping it out of Venjix's grasp," Flynn realised, smiling faintly.

"That's one good thing," Summer nodded. "Otherwise we may have been having this conversation a lot sooner," she considered.

"No doubt," Scott agreed. The alarm suddenly started to beep, and they looked around as Dr. K snapped out of her thoughts.

"Looks like it's passing the viaduct, heading south," Summer saw the reading on screen.

"Okay Doc, time to find out how much stronger Venjix really is," Scott sighed.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the Rangers Morphed and hurried out as Arianna stayed behind, sighing heavily. Spencer patted her shoulder sympathetically.

* * *

"We have a visual on that new Venjix Attackbot," Scott announced as the Zords moved through the city towards the attacking robot.

' _Rangers, prep for Zord Sequencing_ ,' Dr. K instructed. They formed the two Megazords, facing off against the Attackbot as the High Octane Megazord called on the Super Sabre.

"Hey Doc, I don't see anything special about this tin can," Dillon commented.

"Dude, don't tempt fate," Teddie warned him.

' _Rangers, my sensors are indicating that the Attackbot is equipped with a molecular-mirroring system_ ,' Dr. K warned them.

"Whatever this thing's equipped with, kiss it all bye-bye," Dillon declared, aiming their blaster at the Attackbot.

"Dillon, wait!" Teddie cried, but it was too late. The Attackbot let out a roar, and opened the plates on its chest. Their weapons were reflected in a mirror, and the metal on its arms began to change. To their horror, they found the Attackbot holding their weapons.

"Did it just _copy_ our weapons?" Ziggy demanded. The Attackbot let out another grating noise, and blasted the Megazord. The three Rangers cried out as they were thrown about, and alarms went off, warning them of the damage done. As they stood back up, the Attackbot got in close, swinging the arm with the copy of the Shark Zord. The blade raked down the front of the Megazord, and it began to glow. The Megazord burst apart, and the Zords vanished as Dillon, Ziggy and Teddie hit the ground.

"Doc was right..." Teddie groaned as they pushed themselves up.

"Yeah, we're in trouble," Dillon agreed as they looked up. They watched helplessly as the Attackbot made a copy of the Super Sabre, and with one powerful strike, defeated the High-Octane Megazord. Scott, Summer and Flynn landed heavily on the ground.

"Doc, energy levels are down," Scott warned.

"We've lost the Megazord," Summer added.

"Both Megazords," Teddie spoke up. They backed up as the Attackbot towered over them, casting them in its shadow, and raised the sword. However, before it could strike, it seemed to freeze up.

"Hey, what's happening?" Scott frowned.

' _Stand by_ ,' Dr. K ordered, sounding confused. ' _The Venjix Attackbot is experiencing catastrophic system failure_ ,' she explained, baffled as the Attackbot jerked wildly. ' _It's completely shutting down...'_ she commented. It continued to jerk violently, before it started to shrink until it was a regular size, and tipped over, lying still.

"Well, that's weird," Flynn commented as they stared.

* * *

The doors to the lab slid open, and Spencer and Kayden wheeled in the Attackbot, which had been strapped to a trolley securely.

"Dr. K, wouldn't it be wiser to just destroy this thing?" Colonel Truman asked as he followed them into the lab.

"Not yet," Dr. K looked appalled at the idea. "We have to take advantage of the opportunity to study relatively undamaged Venjix technology," she said as she started scanning the Attackbot.

"She really reminds me of Kendall," Kayden said to Spencer, who grinned and nodded.

"She kinda reminds me of Bridge too, when he gets his hands on new tech," he said, making the former Blue Ranger laugh.

"Just don't let her build a waffle iron into her computer, Kruger was not happy about the fire," Kayden remembered, and Spencer's grin widened, before they heard a clatter and saw Hicks scramble to lift a small device from the trolley he'd bumped into.

"Corporal Hicks, please don't touch any of that," Dr. K scolded the man.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, Sir," Hicks stammered nervously, blushing in embarrassment as everyone looked at him. "It's just...amazing. How did you ever create _all_ this Ranger stuff?" he asked her eagerly. Dr. K looked away, sadness in her eyes.

"I had help," she admitted softly. Kayden and Spencer exchanged curious looks.

* * *

"I don't like this," Teddie muttered as they ran through the city on patrol, keeping an eye out.

"The patrol?" Ziggy asked, and she shook her head.

"The Attackbot just _breaking_ all of a sudden, right when it was about to trash us. Something about it isn't sitting right with me," she admitted.

"Me neither," Dillon spoke up from Ziggy's other side.

"Hey, like I said, we're the good guys!" Ziggy grinned to them as they kept going.

"This again?" Dillon glanced to Teddie, both looking amused. She smiled back, and Ziggy shrugged to them. He glanced to Arianna, who looked dubious.

"Come on, you know I'm right!" Ziggy insisted. "We're the good guys, we're supposed to have luck like this," he told them.

"On what planet are we lucky?" Dillon asked him.

"Yeah Ziggy, you're grasping at straws here," Teddie said, and he deflated.

"It might have been a distraction, they've done that before," Arianna suggested. "We need to make sure the rest of the city is safe," she said as Dillon and Teddie nodded.

"You're all pessimists, you know that?" Ziggy complained.

"You're saying that to Teddie and Arianna?" Dillon snorted, making the two girls laugh.

* * *

' _Airborne Venjix Drones are incoming_!' Dr. K was snapped from her thoughts as Flynn's voice came through the communication channel. Spencer looked up from the Attackbot as Dr. K rushed back to her computer.

"The Reflect Bot mirror must have duplicated shield breaches," she told them as she looked into it.

"More drones heading towards Quadrant E-3," Spencer spoke up, his eyes going to the Attackbot in the middle of the lab.

' _We're on it_ ,' Summer spoke confidently.

' _We have Venjix bandits dead ahead_ ,' the fighting began as Spencer watched the Attackbot, a bad feeling niggling in his stomach.

' _We're gonna need more firepower_ ,' Teddie spoke up.

"Downloading standard Megazord replacement-" Spencer whirled around as there was a small blast that hit the computer. It exploded out, and Dr. K tumbled away from it with a cry. Spencer ran over to her side as another blast hit the restraints around the Attackbot.

"Oh no you're not," Tenaya emerged from behind the Attackbot as Spencer healed the burn on Dr. K's face. She stared up in horror, tears from the pain spilling down her face. "The Reflect Attackbot's malfunction was all just a part of the plan. I knew someone like you could never resist a peek at Venjix's latest hardware," she mocked. Spencer stood up, and light flickered to life in his hand. He threw it at Tenaya, who leapt aside and fired a blast of her own. It bounced off his shield and exploded nearby.

"I knew there was a reason I felt off with that thing, I must be losing my touch," Spencer commented.

"Letting people down again?" Tenaya mocked, and he snorted.

"Now you just sound like Siren," he told her, and darted towards her. Tenaya's eyes widened, and she raised her arm quickly to block his strike. She stepped back, and raised her blaster, but he easily deflected it with the back of his hand, and the blast that was fired as her arm jerked hit the machines nearby. Dr. K scrambled for cover quickly, and Spencer was knocked backwards by Tenaya's kick.

"You're not strong enough to take me without your Ranger powers," Tenaya told him. "You're _weak_!" Spencer let out a grunt as he was slammed against the wall, and slid to the ground. Tenaya smirked, and walked over to the computer, which was barely running. "Greetings, Rangers, you are now travelling with Tenaya 7," she laughed as she started typing. "Enjoy the rest of your trip," she smirked.

' _I can't control my Zord_!' Scott yelled as Tenaya took control of their Zords.

' _I'm gonna be sick_ ,' Teddie whined as her own Zord flew wildly around the city. Tenaya smirked, before she was suddenly slammed backwards, hitting a wall so hard it cracked.

"I really hoped it wouldn't come to this," Spencer sighed, cracking his neck. Tenaya lifted her head, and her eyes widened as she saw the gold in his eyes. "But desperate times and all that crap," Tenaya scrambled to her feet and barely managed to dodge Spencer's punch that widened the crack in the wall.

"What are you?" she whispered.

"The product of a lot of training," Spencer answered her. "Doctor, you got the Rangers covered?" he asked as she peeked out. Wordlessly, she nodded, and darted back to the computer, and started typing, working on freeing the Rangers from Tenaya's control.

"How can you have so much power...when you're not a Ranger?" Tenaya demanded as she stared at Spencer. He gave a low chuckle.

"Hey, Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger," he answered, and rushed her. Tenaya fired a blast, and he dodged it, rolling along the ground. He jumped up, blocking Tenaya's punch, but she pushed back. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses, and the gold light flickered. Tenaya smirked.

"You're all talk," she told him, only to be blasted from the side. Fire then surrounded her, and Tenaya shrieked as she shied away from it.

"So are you," Arianna told her, her blaster aimed at Tenaya as Spencer stumbled back, a hand to his head as the gold light faded entirely. Nora stood beside the Morphed Mercury Ranger, her hand raised as a red haze surrounded it.

"Venjix, release second Reflect Bot to destroy them," Tenaya contacted her master as Arianna ran over to Spencer's side. The ground shook violently as the second Attackbot appeared in town, and Tenaya then leapt through the flames at them.

"Rangers, downloading original Megazord configurations," Dr. K sent the data through quickly as Arianna and Tenaya fought in the middle of the room, and a blast narrowly missed her as Spencer sank to the ground. Nora hurried to his side.

"I'm okay, just need a minute," he told her softly.

"I felt the power, what _was_ that?" she asked him, baffled.

"I'll explain later," Spencer chuckled.

' _We're losing power_!' Flynn yelled as the High-Octane Megazord was bombarded by the powerful Attackbot. ' _I don't think she can take much more of this_ ,' he warned as Tenaya smirked. The computer beeped a warning, and a moment later, the Megazord split apart.

"You pride yourself on how smart you are, don't you?" Tenaya called to Dr. K, who hesitated. "But you still royally messed up, didn't you?" she mocked. Dr. K went pale, her breathing ragged.

"Leave her alone!" Arianna shouted, and Tenaya smirked, whipping around. She blasted Arianna, and the Mercury Ranger crashed to the ground with a cry. Tenaya then turned to Dr. K, raising her blaster, and the young genius grabbed Arianna's fallen weapon.

"Thanks, I wouldn't mind an upgrade," Tenaya smirked, darting to the Attackbot beside her. She opened the chest plate, and Dr. K's eyes gleamed. She moved, and the mirror reflected something else entirely. Tenaya's eyes widened, as another over-thruster appeared on the ground.

"And I wouldn't mind one of these," Dr. K smirked as she lifted it. She rushed to the machine nearby, and as Tenaya ran to stop her, Arianna slammed into her. "Rangers! You are go for the new Zenith Megazord configuration," Dr. K announced.

* * *

' _Repeat! You are go for new Megazord configuration_!' Dr. K sounded out of breath.

"Um...what?" Teddie frowned, before shaking her head. "You know, what, I'm not going to question it!" she decided with a laugh, flying down to the croc carrier as the Shark and Wolf Zords joined her.

"Ready guys?" Scott grinned. "Initial transformation!" the Zords combined together, forming their new Megazord.

"Zenith Megazord!" the Rangers all moved to one cockpit, sitting together as they admired the new Megazord

"Now this is more like it!" Teddie cheered. The Attackbot didn't wait, and threw out the giant mace it had summoned as a hand. It bounced off the Megazord harmlessly, and shattered. It then opened the mirrors on the chest to copy the Megazord, only for them to leap into the air. White wings burst from its back, and it flew through the air towards the Attackbot. Their foot cracked the mirror, and the glass shattered.

' _Rangers, energy levels are go for Wheel Blaster_ ,' Dr. K instructed.

"Alright, let's do this!" Scott shouted, and pulled the gear stick beside him as the lights on the Megazord began to glow.

* * *

"Be honest," Dr. K looked around as Tenaya aimed her blaster at her. "Leading me in here, tricking me into using the mirror, how much of it was _your_ doing?" she demanded, furious. Dr. K smirked.

"All of it," she answered honestly.

"Jet Fists!" Arianna punched Tenaya hard.

"Call to the beast inside!" Spencer was back on his feet, a golden aura surrounding him. "Let loose the bull!" there was a snort, and his animal spirit rose from his form, slamming into Tenaya and tossing her through a chute in the lab. It slammed shut after, and Spencer leaned against the wall, sliding to the ground.

* * *

The six Rangers in the Megazord lifted their wheels, holding them in front of them.

"Locking in!" Scott called.

"Engine Cell, Activate!" Flynn inserted an engine cell into his.

"Wheel Blaster ready! Target locked! Fire!" the powerful attack slammed into the Attackbot, destroying it.

* * *

"I can't get over the power in that new Megazord," Teddie was bouncing up and down as the Rangers left their vehicles and went towards the lab.

"Aye, I wonder just how the good doctor got it working," Flynn wondered, his smile wide as he enjoyed the adrenaline of the fight.

"Like we'd understand it," Dillon rolled his eyes, but even he was smiling very slightly.

"Hey Doc, that was-" Scott stopped as they found the lab in disarray, with Arianna cleaning up.

"Hey guys," she offered a small smile.

"What happened here?" Summer asked quietly as Teddie rushed to her brother's side.

"I'm fine, I just used too much energy," he waved her away, still sitting against the wall on the ground. Her eyes widened as she realised what he meant.

"Spence, you know that was risky. To use Omni's power..."

"Tenaya hid in the Reflect Bot to break in and sabotage you," Spencer explained.

"Uh...how have we got two of these?" Ziggy asked.

"Don't touch," Nora slapped his hand away from the over-thruster, walking past him. He tried to speak, but she didn't even look at him. He sighed, and Teddie arched an eyebrow at the interaction.

"Doc?" Teddie then approached the very quiet girl, who was staring at her damaged computers. "How did you get the second over-thruster?" she asked her. Arianna put a hand on Teddie's shoulder, shaking her head. Teddie saw the expression in Dr. K's eyes, and turned around.

"Come on guys, let's grab some food, then we can come back and help fix the lab up," she told the team. Most of them frowned, wondering why she was barking orders.

"I am pretty hungry," Summer caught on, and ushered the others out.

"Hey, Doctor K?" Dr. K looked up with a frown at Teddie's words. "If you wanna talk, we're here for you. 'Anna's good at listening, and she knows what it's like," her frown dropped as Teddie turned and walked out without waiting for a response. Nora followed her, helping Spencer, and Arianna gave a small shrug as Dr. K turned to her.

"Snide and Fury found our base...I..." Arianna looked away, and Dr. K found herself recognising the fearful look in the Mercury Ranger's eyes. Arianna then walked out to join her team, and Dr. K looked to the little ribbon tied to her desk.

It took her a moment to register the tears running down her face, and when she did, a sob caught in her throat and she put her hands to her face, her shoulders shaking as she cried hard.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	14. Nora

Chapter 14: Nora

 _Her legs swinging from a branch of a tree several feet off the ground, Nora peered through the lens of her camera intently. Below her, the small herd of Pegasi grazed peacefully, aware of her presence but content to ignore her. Nora snapped pictures as quietly as she could. While they accepted her presence, she didn't want to go too far._

 _The leader of the herd's head lifted, and she snorted. Wings of all shades unfurled, and Nora gasped, grabbing hold of the branch right as a gust of wind slammed her, almost causing her to drop her camera. She looked up, watching the Pegasi fly off._

" _Damn, told you they'd spook," Nora frowned and looked down at the four walking into the clearing._

" _They're just stupid horses, who cares?" the tallest of the group, a young Elf with long pointed ears and his hair back in a ponytail, shrugged._

" _I really want to ride one though. I heard they can dimension jump," the young man to his left complained. His attention darted to Nora as she climbed down from the tree, hoping to slip away quickly."Oh, Lady Russell," the four stopped, and Nora paused, her back to them as she resisted a groan._

" _Hey, there..." Nora turned to them with a weak smile._

" _Good afternoon. Are you on your way to training?" the female of the group, a Fae, asked with a pleasant smile._

" _No, I have the day off," she shook her head. "I'm just on my way to the market," Nora lied easily, awkward as the four watched her._

" _I see," the Elf nodded. "We best be on our way to training. Good day," he bowed his head respectfully._

" _Yeah..." Nora sighed, watching them leave._

" _Must be nice, being the daughter of the Light," she heard the young man sniff. "Having a day off," Nora rolled her eyes and sighed, already used to that sort of attitude. Reaching out, Nora touched the tree, and closed her eyes._

 _She reappeared on the outskirts of Briarwood, and kicked a stone hard. Taking in a deep breath, she sat down at the base of the tree, and looked at the camera in her hands, starting to flick through her pictures._

 _Hearing a loud explosion, she looked up, her eyes wide, and stood. Running up the hill as she heard more explosions, Nora stopped, her hands flying to her mouth as she saw Briarwood in flames. Her camera hit the ground; the lens cracking, and she took off at a run._

* * *

Jerking awake, Nora reached to her side quickly to grab her sword, only to grasp air. It took a moment for her to realise where she was, and when she did, she relaxed with a heavy sigh. Sitting up, her black hair fell into her face, and she brushed it aside.

"Whatever.." she muttered, getting up and opening the door to her bedroom. It was later than she expected, and everyone was up and about their usual activities.

"Mornin lass," Flynn greeted with a smile as he looked up from his jeep when Nora walked past. "You slept late. Even Ziggy's up before you," he commented.

"Yeah...didn't sleep too well," she shrugged, walking on over to the kitchenette. Flynn didn't push her, which she was grateful for, and she grabbed a glass to fill with juice.

"Nora?" her brow furrowed as Ziggy approached her, and she lifted the bowl she'd just poured cereal in, and walked off.

"Oh boy," Flynn chuckled as he looked up again. "You've really made her mad," he told the Green Ranger, who huffed.

"I'm trying to apologise, she won't let me!" he complained.

"Give her time," he looked around to Teddie, who was writing in her notebook. "She's stubborn, stop bugging her every two minutes and let her cool off," she said, not looking up.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Heckyl asked, not looking up from his book as Teddie leaned her back to his side. "Or because you're exactly the same?" he continued, and flinched as her notebook hit the side of his head. He smirked very slightly, and with a sigh, Teddie looked up at Ziggy.

"Dude, seriously. Give her space. Nora was hard to approach _before_ all this," she told him.

"You must have done something bad if she won't even talk to you," Dillon spoke up from the other sofa. "I mean she normally just shouts at you. What did you say to her?" he asked. Ziggy didn't respond, but looked guilty.

"Oh, definitely bad if the lad won't say," Flynn chuckled, before the engine of his jeep made a popping noise, and he was splattered with oil, letting out a yell of alarm.

"Maybe that will teach you to focus on your work instead of gossiping," Summer smiled as she passed him a towel and walked past. He glowered at her, and wiped the oil from his face as Dillon smirked. The light atmosphere faded, however, as the alarm blared, and the Rangers all moved to the computers quickly.

"Strange," Dr. K spoke up as she examined the readings. "It's not just an alert to the Venjix force, but a massive heat surge in the area," she commented.

"South, not too far from the water treatment facility," Teddie said to the team, who nodded.

"Let's move out," Scott ordered.

"Rangers, be cautious out there. Your suits were not designed for extreme heat," Dr. K warned them as they left. As their vehicles sped off, Nora's bedroom door opened and she peered out, curious.

* * *

Teddie's bike skidded to a stop as she reached the co-ordinates. As she flipped up her visor, she heard the others heading towards her. She then looked around, and frowned.

"What's going on?" Dillon asked as he stepped out of his car and glanced around the area. His brow furrowed. "Isn't this the place?" he asked.

"Maybe we're late?" Ziggy suggested as they walked around.

"Dr. K would have warned us if they'd changed locations," Summer shook her head. Her hand was already reaching for the engine cell swinging from around her neck.

"Stay alert," Scott told his team, and they all nodded.

"I don't like this," Arianna murmured nervously, scanning the area with her worried pale gaze. "Something is off," she said. The Mercury Ranger tucked her hair behind her ear, unable to see anything that would have been picked up on the sensors. She stopped as Dillon put his arm out, and she bumped it lightly. His frown had grown, as he looked at the ground but seemed to be focusing.

"I hear something," he warned quietly.

"You do?" Teddie turned to him confused. She'd not sensed anything. "I don't-" she stopped, whirling around. "Get down!" she yelled, and everyone dove to the ground, obeying without hesitation as a pillar of fire billowed through the area. They all looked around sharply as Scott let out a scream of pain.

"Guess you weren't fast enough," Siren smirked as she approached with another Attackbot.

"So are you and Tenaya taking turns failing to beat us or what?" Ziggy asked her as they got back to her feet. He glanced to Teddie as she darted past, sliding to a stop beside Scott as her tanned skin lit up in a golden light. She touched Scott as he struggled to try and breathe normally through the pain; burns lining his legs and a good portion of his body.

"Big words from the weakest member of the team," Siren retorted, and Ziggy flushed, struggling to find a comeback as Teddie healed Scott's wounds.

"Enough," Arianna spoke up, stepping forwards. "You won't win, Siren, you never do," the Mercury Ranger vowed in her soft tone, falling into a fighting stance. Siren just smirked, and tossed her curly dark hair over her shoulder.

"We'll see about that. Flamebot!" Siren snapped her fingers, and a tall Attackbot walked into view. Flames flickered from turrets on both arms, and steam billowed from pipes over its shoulders.

"Doctor K said our suits aren't designed for extreme heat," Teddie warned as she looked up from Scott. "So be careful," she told them.

"Right," Summer nodded. "Ready?" she called to the other four.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the team Morphed and rushed at Siren and the Flamebot, only to be forced to scatter as flames burst from the Attackbot's turrets and swept the area. They were forced to react defensively and continue to dodge the flames sweeping the area, as Siren smirked.

"What's the matter, Rangers? You started out so fearlessly," she laughed, and fired a blast. Ziggy yelped, crashing to the ground.

"Invincibility Shield!" Dillon stepped in the way and blocked the flames from hitting the Green Ranger.

"That doesn't last too long, Ranger Black, what then?" Siren called to him, only for Arianna to catch her attention. The Mercury Ranger rushed in, and as the Flamebot turned to hit her with the fire, Arianna's form rippled and she turned to mercury. It splattered to the ground, and as the Flamebot was confused, turning to attack Summer and Flynn instead, Arianna's body reformed.

"Jet Fists!" she called on her weapons, and punched the Flamebot hard. It stumbled and hit the ground as Dillon's shield faded, and both the Green and Black Rangers breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good move," Flynn nodded to Arianna as the Rangers regrouped and approached the fallen Attackbot. However, it raised an arm, and they dodged the fire that exploded out.

"We can't even get close!" Dillon growled.

"Zip Charger!" Summer fired a blast from her own weapon, but the Flamebot moved its jet of flame. The fire collided with the blast, and it exploded harmlessly. Siren then let out a scream, and the Rangers were bombarded by the painful shock-waves that were created by her scream. They hit the ground, and Siren laughed.

"This _is_ fun. I can't believe Tenaya passed on watching this happen," she commented, only to cry out as a golden ball of light collided with her face, and she fell to the ground.

"You need to just stop talking for once," Teddie told her, looking exhausted as she and Scott leaned against each other.

"We need to retreat for now," Scott ordered his team, who nodded. "Let's go," they hurried off as Siren got back to her feet.

"Run while you can," she spoke softly.

* * *

Nora sat on her bed, looking at the camera in her hands and flicking through the pictures taken. After a moment, she let out a heavy sigh, and fell back on the mattress, glaring at the ceiling.

* * *

 _By the time Nora had reached the city, her lungs were burning and sweat rolled down her face. She looked around, horrified as she found nothing but chaos and destruction._

" _This is...what is happening?" she questioned softly, looking around. "Where_ is _everyone?" she looked around for any sign of the living, but only found more death. "My phone..." she remembered, and pulled it from her pocket. She'd turned it off while taking pictures in the Magical Realm, not wanting it to disturb the creatures she was watching. Switching it back on, she found missed calls from both her parents, as well as the rest of her family._

 _Her hands were shaking, making it hard to use her phone, but eventually managed to find her father's contact details. She called him, and pressed the phone to her ear as she fought the stinging in her eyes._

 _The beeping made her frown as the call didn't go through. She tried again, only to get the same beeping tone. "Dad?" her voice shook, and she then tried to call her mother, only to have the same happen. "How is this possible? Calls connect in the Magical Realm, so..." Nora ran to the tree nearby, and placed her hand on it, waiting for the pull of magic._

 _Nothing happened._

 _Nora's legs gave out from under her, and she crumpled to the ground._

" _What's going on?" she whispered, her phone on the ground beside her. The beeping of another unconnected call echoed from the device as she struggled to understand what was going on. "I need to get to the portal," Nora pushed herself up, gripping the tree for assistance, and turned to hurry to the outskirts of town. She froze, as she found herself looking at the damaged chassis of a robot that towered over her. Black with traces of red and gold, the robot was nothing short of intimidating._

" _Oh? It seems we have a survivor," the robot drawled. Nora backed away from him, but as she looked around, she found herself surrounded by smaller robots. Her eyes narrowed, and she threw out her hands, speaking in a language the robot didn't understand._

 _Flames erupted around Nora, destroying the robots, and she cast another spell, turning invisible. However, as she made to run, the cold metal hands of the leader caught her._

" _The invisibility is a nice touch, human, but unfortunately not so effective against me," to her horror, the robot actually_ laughed _at her._

" _Let me go! What do you want?!" Nora thrashed in his grip, but he didn't release his painful hold on her, bruising her wrists._

" _She's a fighter. She'll be perfect for the Master's plan," he threw her backwards, and several Grinders grabbed her before she could react. "Don't worry, you won't remember anything," as Nora tried to cast another spell, the metal fist collided with the side of her jaw, and darkness and pain swallowed her up._

* * *

Nora shook her head, trying to rid herself of the thoughts of the day Venjix had launched the attack, and she stood up.

"Dude, you never stop eating. How are you not fat?" Heckyl looked up, arching an eyebrow as Nora sat down opposite him and stole the pack of cookies he'd been demolishing.

"Fast metabolism," he answered, taking them back. "Linked to my powers, it would seem," Heckyl's eyes went back to his book. Nora watched him for a moment, and snorted, biting into the cookie she'd swiped.

"You got Rose'd, huh?" she commented, lifting her camera to cycle through the pictures.

"A common thing?" Heckyl asked her.

"Rose doesn't like not knowing something," Nora explained lightly, still looking through her pictures. "Hey, Heckyl?" Nora's voice was softer; more uncertain. He made a humming noise to show he was listening as he turned the page, his head in his hand. "How did you realise you liked Teddie?" Heckyl paused, and after a moment, he looked up to meet Nora's hazel gaze.

"What?" he asked, genuinely puzzled by her question. Nora shuffled, looking away awkwardly.

"How did you know? I mean, from what I've heard, the Dark Energem...you shouldn't have-" she stopped herself, seeing him tense out of reflex at the mention of the Dark Energem. "Sorry, that's...never mind," she shook her head, looking embarrassed.

"I didn't, not at first," Nora looked up in surprise at his answer. He was looking away, pensive. "Like you said, the Dark Energem shrouded any feelings that weren't darkness. But," Heckyl paused, his own face warming as he thought about it. "I suppose it's _because_ it had been so long, that's why I noticed it, even if I didn't know what it was," he considered. When Nora's head tilted, curious, he continued. "At first I'd just considered her the best option to get close to the Rangers; I'd already saved her life before," he commented.

"From the truck, during that wish thing," Nora remembered, and he nodded.

"We spent some time together, and I suppose I started finding myself curious about her. She was kind and considerate, and after so long of being on Sledge's ship, it was different. I got to know her as more than just the White Ranger whose Energem I wanted," Heckyl continued, thinking about it. "I was drawn to her, but it wasn't until..." he trailed off, and Nora frowned.

 _"What happened?" Heckyl wondered, pressing his hand to the door that had shut behind him. He drew his hand back as the cold burned his fingers, and a shiver ran down his spine._

 _"What's wrong?" Teddie turned to him, carrying a tray of burgers._

 _"The door...shut behind me, I can't open it," Heckyl told her. Teddie frowned, setting the tray down, and slipped between him and the door, pushing at it._

 _"It's locked?" she wondered, and felt a pulse of magic. "Chase...you're a dead man when I get out of here," she vowed._

 _"Why Chase?" Heckyl asked her curiously. Teddie paused. "Wait, why did he ask me to get these when you were already doing it?" he asked, and Teddie refused to look at him, her heart pounding so painfully she was certain he could hear it._

 _"Because my brother's an idiot and likes to play pranks," she told him after a moment, turning around. She pressed against the door in surprise as she realised he hadn't backed away from her. He was so close that she brushed against him, making his eyes widen. "I...uh..." Teddie swallowed, not sure what to do as he stared at her, looking just as baffled. There was an awkward, tense silence that fell over the pair as Teddie stood completely still, and he seemed to be having an internal debate._

 _Teddie prayed he didn't feel her heart pounding painfully in her chest, but wasn't too sure how he wouldn't, being so close to her. The air between them fogged up as the cold started to seep through their clothes, and Teddie fought against the shivering that wasn't entirely to do with the cold air of the freezer. Her lips parted slightly as she tried to say something, but Heckyl's hand slid up her cheek, warmer than her face and mostly covered by his leather fingerless gloves, silencing any thought she might have had. Warmth spread from his fingertips across her face, and her next breath was ragged as he leaned in, and she reached up to meet him._

 _The freezer door suddenly opened behind Teddie, taking the pair by surprise, and they pulled away from each other quickly._

"Until?" Nora pressed, snapping him from his thoughts. He sighed, rolling his eyes in an attempt to play it off.

"Until Chase locked us in the freezer and I almost kissed her," Nora's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hands in a poor effort to hide her laugh.

"Man, you two really are idiots," Heckyl sighed and turned a frown on her, more embarrassed than annoyed.

"Why do you ask?" he asked her, and Nora's laughter immediately died.

"I..." she frowned, looking down at her camera again. Hearing the dull roars that were the telltale signs of the Rangers returning, they looked up as Flynn and Scott's cars arrived back in the garage, along with Summer on her bike.

"That was-what happened to you?" Heckyl frowned as Teddie stumbled out of the jeep, helped by Arianna. Soot covered their faces and uniforms, and Teddie looked exhausted. She groaned, falling into the seat beside him and slumping into his side.

"Tired..." she mumbled.

"You were only out there for half an hour," Heckyl frowned, before realisation dawned on him. Teddie whined as he made her straighten up, examining her face. "You didn't get hurt _again_ , did you?" he asked her, exasperated.

"I didn't!" Teddie shook her head. "Let me sleep," she pleaded.

"What happened?" Dr. K asked as she walked out of her lab. "The energy readings were all over the place, and the heat levels were off the chart," she looked back at the reading on the tablet in her hand.

"That Attackbot was crazy strong," Ziggy complained, smearing more soot across his face.

"It controlled fire, we couldn't get near it," Arianna explained as she and Summer helped Scott sit down.

"Fire?" Nora repeated quietly. Her hands clenched into tight fists. "Not him," she whispered to herself.

"A Flamebot," Dr. K mused, thoughtful. "It would seem Venjix is considering an attempt to target you first, before launching an attack on the city," she considered.

"And if it wasn't for Teddie, I'd have been the first casualty," Scott looked down at his tattered shirt and jacket. They were burned, revealing his skin underneath. He touched it, not feeling any different. He just couldn't get the memory out of his head, and the strange warmth of the burns healing at a rapid rate.

"You'll get used to it," he looked up at Arianna as she smiled sympathetically. "Trust me, it's disconcerting, but you'll appreciate it more than anything," she told the Red Ranger, who looked unsure. "Eventually," she added with a laugh. Scott glanced over to Teddie, who was dozing on Heckyl's side as he watched her, looking mildly annoyed.

"We need a way to stop that fire," Summer spoke up.

"But how?" Flynn shrugged. "The heat was intense, our suits can't handle that, and Dillon's shield only lasts five seconds," he pointed out as Summer glanced to Dillon.

"Teleporting in is too risky as well," Scott spoke up, leaning forwards as he thought about it. "We need a way to divert the flames, so that we can take the Flamebot out quickly," he said.

"Divert the flames..." Ziggy repeated quietly, and looked around. "What about-" he stopped as he realised that Nora had disappeared, and the door to her bedroom was shutting.

"That's not a bad idea," Teddie yawned, realising what he was thinking. "I'll-" Heckyl stopped her, looking at Nora's camera. He whispered to Teddie, whose brow furrowed, before she turned to Ziggy.

"Go talk to her," Ziggy frowned in confusion. "We're going to need Nora for this. So...go talk to her," Teddie yawned, and seemed to doze off again as the Green Ranger tried to argue. He sighed, and made for the stairs. "So...why him? Nora wants to stab him from what I could tell," she mumbled.

"Clearly your powers of observation have suffered recently," Heckyl angled the camera to her, and Teddie paused, looking at the pictures he was showing.

"Huh," she murmured.

"I thought your friends called you a 'Violent Cupid'?" he asked, and winced as her elbow jabbed his stomach.

* * *

" _Let me go!" Nora thrashed in the chains that restrained her, refusing to give in as they dragged her along. She'd woken in a strange warehouse; hands bound behind her back in heavy metal chains that chafed her wrists. She'd felt the blood dripping for some time, but ignored it. Every time she tried to cast a spell, they'd strike her or yank at the chains, throwing her off._

 _She was yanked into another room, and her thrashing stopped as her eyes grew wide in horror. Others were bound just like her, covered in soot, dirt and bruises, being forced along. For a moment she stood watching, before she was pulled along again, forced into line._

" _Hey," she heard a whisper behind her, and glanced around. "Any idea what's going on here?" a young man around her age whispered. Dried blood stuck his dark hair to his forehead. He looked scared, but more composed than most. Nora shook her head wordlessly. "I'm Dan," he told her._

" _Nora," she answered quietly._

" _Congratulations!" they looked up at the loud voice, and Nora spotted the robot from before at the front of the prisoners. There was still damage done to his chest, like something had tried to hack through him. "You are the first of the pawns for Master Venjix's plan," he declared, throwing his hands in the air. "Your world has fallen. Your_ protectors _have fallen," Nora froze at his comment, dread setting into her stomach._

" _That's not true!" one man spoke up, defiant. "The Mystic Force protected the city. They may have retreated for now, but they'll be back!" he declared._

" _Mystic Force..." the robot considered quietly, running his hand along the red metal over his head. "Ah yes, those pathetic Power Rangers. Most of them escaped, yes, but their Green Ranger...well, he won't be running around in that cape any more," he told them._

" _Xander..." Nora murmured, horrified at his insinuation._

" _And that Gold armoured one? She was pathetically weak for someone bragging the title 'Legendary Golden Warrior'," the robot laughed._

" _The Mystic Force have never failed us!" the man seemed undeterred by the robot's boasting. "You'll never win!" he shouted, and there was a murmur in the crowd. The robot sighed, and lifted his blaster. The man let out a choke, and crumpled to the ground. People screamed in horror, and Nora stared at the lifeless body on the ground, which was then dragged away._

" _Anyone else have any opinions on the matter?" the robot asked smoothly, lifting his blaster again. Nobody spoke, and all that could be heard were the sobs of people. Nora breathed heavily, sick to her stomach as the sight flashed through her mind. "Now, where was I?" he asked himself. "Ah yes. Your world now belongs to Master Venjix. And you will be the final step in his grand plan!" he declared._

* * *

A knock at the door made Nora look up, trying to calm herself.

"What?" she snapped, and the door opened. Ziggy peeked in, and Nora clenched her fists. "Leave me alone," she growled at him, and her temper flared when he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry," he said before she could snap at him. "I was out of line. I never should I have called you a machine," Ziggy apologised to her, and watched as Nora's eyes blazed. But she didn't speak, or set him on fire, so he continued. "You've been helping me be a better Ranger, and I was...I'm sorry," the Green Ranger repeated, and Nora watched him, before letting out a growl.

"Fine," she hissed. "Stop looking at me with those tragic eyes," she grumbled, and he brightened up. "I'm sorry for being so hard on you as well," Nora sighed, rubbing her arm. "But, I can't help you, not with this Attackbot," she shook her head, and Ziggy's face fell.

"What? Why not?" he asked her, baffled.

"Because the last time I fought one of those Flamebots..." Nora's breath caught as she thought about it. "I just can't," she shook her head.

"Nora, we _need_ you," Ziggy told her seriously. "Scott was almost barbecued by that thing. We need something to stop the fire," he insisted.

"I can't," Nora's voice was quiet and shaky.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because the last time I did, someone died!" Ziggy froze at her raised voice. Nora stared at him, and her eyes burned. "Dammit," she put her hands to her face as the tears welled up and quickly escaped. "Dammit..." she repeated as a sob escaped.

* * *

" _What do you suppose they're going to do to us?" Dan asked, his voice light as he sat hunched in the small cell he'd been given. Nora didn't look up from the ground, her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were dull. "Use us to repair them? Make more of them? Eat us?" he listed._

" _Robots don't eat. And they wouldn't eat humans," Nikki spoke up from her own cell, beside Nora's. "Do you really believe what they said? About the Mystic Force?" she asked softly._

" _Who knows?" Jamie murmured, her voice soft and worn from crying._

" _I heard that they'd been around since my dad was young. How could they lose?" Dan questioned. "They made it up, they have to have. What do you think Nora?" he asked, directing his attention to her._

" _They're alive," her voice was quiet. "But I think they sealed the way into the Magical Realm. They're gone," her voice didn't change in tone._

" _Of course they are," an older man, Dee, snorted. "They ran, like the cowards they are. Get used to it kids, we're dead and they're safe," he told them. Nora's eyes flashed, but she didn't move._

" _We're not," Dan insisted. "We'll get out of here. We have to," he said._

" _Well that's vague," Nikki snorted. "How do you propose we do that?" she asked, not sounding very believing. Not that the others could fault her. They'd all heard the rumours about people who'd tried to escape and paid the price._

" _I'm still working on that. But we'll escape," Dan told them._

" _And go where?" Dee spoke up from his own cell. Dan rolled his eyes. "Face it kid, we're dead wherever we go. Venjix rules the world now. Best get over it, and accept whatever gruesome death they have planned for us," he told them._

" _He doesn't rule everywhere yet," Dan's quiet voice earned all their attention. "I heard that robot, the one who loves to talk. Apparently there's one city still standing, a place called Corinth," he told them._

" _I've heard of that place," Jamie nodded. "It was a military project, a domed city designed to protect them from anything," she explained._

" _Then we head there," Dan told them._

" _Your optimism is sweet and all," Dee spoke once again. "But there's no way you'll get there. It's miles away, and you'll have to get past all them robots. You ain't a Power Ranger. Them cowards left long ago," he laughed, and it echoed down the corridor._

" _Shut_ up _," the laughter stopped as Nora stood, furious. "The Power Rangers are_ heroes _. They're the reason you're alive to be a bitter asshole, so shut your damn mouth," she snarled. "I've had enough of this dump. If there's a place we can go, then let's go," she decided._

" _Now that's more like it," Dan grinned._

" _You might have won her over, but there's one more important thing," Nikki leaned on the cell door. "We're_ prisoners _, locked in cells?" she reminded them. Their eyes then widened as Nora threw out her hand and flames exploded from her hand, melting the metal bars._

" _You were saying?" she asked as she moved the flames, melting the cells around them. Everyone stepped over the molten metal, gaping at her. "Let's ditch this dump," Nora told them._

" _This way, there's an exit," Dan led the way, and the small group that remained moved as quietly as they could, before turning a corner and coming face-to-face with a group of Grinders. Nora raised a hand, and the crates around them smashed into the Grinders. Dan and Nikki grabbed their blasters, and tossed one to Dee as he looked stunned by the escape attempt._

" _There's the way out!" Jamie gasped, but as they raced towards it, there was an explosion that blasted them off their feet._

" _Well well, more rats trying to escape," they looked up at the robot approaching, followed by another Attackbot. Turrets were resting on its shoulders, and pipes emerged from its back, billowing smoke._

" _You guys make a run for it," Nora told them, getting to her feet. "I'll stop these creeps," she said, her hands shining with her fire magic._

" _Don't have to tell me twice," Dee was up and out the door in seconds._

" _Nora-"_

" _Go!" Nora snapped at the group getting to their feet._

" _Stop them," the robot ordered lazily, turning and walking off. The Attackbot beeped, and flames burst from its turrets, making Jamie scream. Nora worked quickly, chanting in the language of the Mystics, and the flames diverted, slamming into crates nearby. They burst into flames, and the small group with Nora made for the door as Nora held out her hand, casting another spell. A long sword appeared and she caught it, moving with the momentum and slammed it against the Attackbot._

" _Run!" Nora screamed as the group hesitated. They finally ran off, leaving Nora to fight the Flamebot by herself. She kicked it back and followed it, swinging down with a powerful slash that severed one of the turrets. Leaping back, Nora was hit by the shockwave of the small explosion, and crashed to the ground as the Attackbot twitched, badly damaged._

 _Pushing herself up, Nora breathed heavily, her entire body flooded with adrenaline. She'd given up. After hearing that the Mystic Force was gone and that both Ari and Xander hadn't been able to take the General, she'd not known what to do. But she wasn't about to let someone like Dee tell her that they were cowards. And being told to just give up, even though she already had, rubbed her the wrong way._

 _With a yell, she rushed in and slashed down the front of the Attackbot. It blocked, and her sword embedded in the thick metal. She was then kicked back, and hit the hard ground again. Looking up, her eyes widened as the Attackbot went to strike her._

" _Nora!" to her horror, Dan leapt in, grabbing her sword. With force, he yanked the blade free, and swung down in a clumsy, untrained attack._

" _Dan, no!" Nora cried out, but as she got back to her feet, a blast from nearby flew past and collided with Dan's back, ripping through his chest. He stopped, choking as blood bubbled from his mouth, and he dropped the sword. "No!" Nora screamed, and threw powerful magic at the Attackbot. It slammed against the wall, ripping apart from the force, and clattered to the ground. Nora raced to Dan's side, as he lay choking on blood._

" _Go," he whispered to her, pressing a piece of paper into her hand. "Find Corinth," he smiled at her, before his head slumped to the side. Tears spilled down her face._

" _Pat_ hetic _," she looked up as the General approached. "You humans, so_ squishy _," he commented. Nora stood up, lifting her sword as she did, and her eyes blazed._

" _I'll show you what we humans are capable of!" she yelled, casting another spell. Magic exploded out from around her, slamming into the robot and tossing him back as the warehouse shook, taking severe damage. Nora then turned and burst out the door, escaping as the warehouse exploded._

* * *

"Because I hesitated...because I wasn't strong enough, someone died protecting me," Nora choked out. "I can't risk that again," she said, and after a moment she felt arms around her. As Ziggy hugged her wordlessly, she only cried harder, not reciprocating, but not pulling away.

"It won't happen again," he said, quiet and confident. "I'm sorry," he murmured, and was surprised when Nora moved, grabbing his jacket as she continued to cry.

He stood there, letting her cry, until she was finally calmer, worn out from crying so much.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, not moving at first.

"You can trust us, you know that right?" Ziggy reminded her. "I mean, we're the Power Rangers, we'll be okay, and we'll keep you safe," he said. Nora didn't speak at first.

"You can let me go now," she muttered, and the Green Ranger's eyes widened. He dropped his arms and stepped back, before clearing his throat as Nora wiped at her eyes.

"Nora, you're our only hope against this thing. We can't get close without you," Ziggy told her, and Nora sighed heavily.

"Why is it..." she muttered, walking over to her desk. She lifted her sword, and turned back with a smirk. "That you are totally helpless without me, Ziggy Grover?" she teased, and the Green Ranger felt his face warm.

"Well we can't all be bad-ass witches with swords," he replied, and when she laughed, he grinned slightly.

"Well then," Nora nodded. "I guess we better be ready.

* * *

The alarm blared, jerking Teddie from her sleep, and she groaned.

"Duty calls," Heckyl said, not looking up from his book.

"Fine..." she grumbled, standing and stretching as the others hurried over to the computers.

"The Flamebot's heat levels are back up," Dr. K alerted as she read over it.

"We still don't have a way to fight it," Dillon shook his head.

"Yes you do," they looked around as Nora walked over, her sword by her side and her arms folded. "I'll handle the flames, you guys take it out," she told them, and they frowned at her as Ziggy grinned.

"How can you _handle_ the flames?" Dillon asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? You geniuses have access to the Ranger files right? Are you not finished them yet?" she asked them, exasperated.

"You're not going to tell us that you were a Ranger too, are you?" Flynn asked dubiously. Nora snorted at the suggestion.

"God no," she shook her head. They exchanged looks, not sure if they should be offended or not. "But my parents were. The Red and Blue Mystic Force Rangers, who commanded Fire and Water magic," Nora smirked. "And guess which of my parents I took after," she told them.

"I did say she had a fiery temper," Teddie giggled as the others exchanged looks.

"Okay, but you stay out of range," Scott told her. "We'll take it down. You handle the flames, and that's it," he ordered, and she saluted mockingly. "Let's get out there," he told the team, and they hurried off.

* * *

Siren rolled her eyes as she walked through the city with the Flamebot, looking around.

"Honestly, the one time I _want_ those colourful losers to show up," she complained aloud, firing a blast at a random building to make herself feel better. She was taken by surprise, when Arianna leapt in the way, using a shield of mercury powers to deflect it, and the Attackbot moved to dodge it. "Finally," she hissed.

"Aw, you do care," Teddie smiled as the others joined Arianna.

"And you clearly have a death wish," Siren retorted. "Flamebot," she snapped her fingers, and the Attackbot trotted forward obediently. Smoke billowed from its pipes, and it threw out its arms, firing two jets of fire at the Rangers. To Siren's shock, the fire curved off course, and extinguished. "What?!" she growled in horror. "That's impossible!" she shouted.

"What's wrong Siren? Having some trouble?" Summer grinned under her helmet. Siren snapped her fingers, and the Attackbot spat out more flames. This time they curved right round, and Siren dove out of the way. The flames circled the Attackbot, and it was forced to stop spilling them out. Siren looked up, horrified to see that the Attackbot was melted in some areas, charred and burned.

"How..." she hissed, looking around. She spotted Nora nearby; the girl smirking as her hands glowed a soft red. "You," she realised. "Get her!" she ordered the Attackbot, who threw more fire out at Nora. The young Mystic chanted quietly, and the flames surrounded her.

"No!" Scott gasped.

"She's okay," Teddie told him, smiling. "She has the power of the Phoenix on her side," the flames exploded out, revealing that Nora was unharmed.

"Grinders!" Siren screeched, and the robots burst onto the scene.

"Let's go!" Scott ordered his team, who scattered to fight off the robots. Leaping over their heads, Arianna landed lightly and spun around, using her Jet Fists to pummel them and denting them more and more with each powerful strike.

"I'm glad Nora agreed to help," the Mercury Ranger commented.

"I can't believe Ziggy managed to convince her," Dillon commented. "Teddie!" he called to the White Ranger, who nodded and leapt into the air. She landed in his cupped hands, and he spun tossing her into the air.

"Rocket Hammer!" she called on her weapon, and slammed it down, causing a small explosion that destroyed the Grinders around her. "Nice combo," Teddie laughed, high-fiving Dillon, who smirked slightly.

"Someone's gotta help you look cooler out here," he told her. Teddie laughed, jumping back and kicking another rushing at her.

"I already look cool out here," she told him.

"Whatever you say," the Black Ranger told her, tossing a Grinder to the ground.

"What are you waiting for? I'm doing my bit here," Nora called to the Rangers, who nodded.

"Weapons combine! Road Blaster!" Scott yelled. They formed their powerful combined weapon, and he lifted an engine cell. "Engine Cell, Activate!" he inserted it, and it lit up.

"Fire!" the group yelled, and the powerful blast slammed into the Flamebot, causing it to explode.

"Dammit!" Siren ran off, and the Rangers ran over to Nora, who grinned back at them.

"That was incredible," Scott told her.

"Hey, you need a plant, Teddie will grow it for you. You need something way cooler, I'm your girl," Nora told them.

"Hey! I'm plenty cool!" the White Ranger argued.

"Sure lass," Flynn patted her head, and she huffed.

* * *

Ziggy's back hit the hard lab floor and he let out a groan, lying there and staring up at the ceiling as he caught his breath.

"So close," Nora offered her hand to him.

"Really?" he asked in surprise. She smirked.

"Nowhere near it," she answered, and the Green Ranger huffed before taking her hand, letting her pull him back up. "But you're improving," Nora told him, and Ziggy brightened. "So let's keep going," she said, moving back into a fighting stance.

"Hey Nora," Scott called as he watched the two spar. "How is it that you can do that? Use magic?" he asked her, curious. She glanced up at him.

"Because I believe," she answered simply, catching Ziggy's fist as he threw it out. "Nice try," she smirked, and there was a cry and another thud as he hit the ground.

"Trust me, you'll never get a real answer out of her," Scott glanced to Teddie and Heckyl as they walked in. "Magic users are all the same. They never make sense," Heckyl told him.

"Rude," Teddie rolled her eyes, but was smiling softly all the same. "How are you holding up?" she asked the Red Ranger.

"Still debating on if I imagined the burn," Scott told her honestly, and Teddie laughed.

"You'll get used to it. Eventually," she told him.

"I'm still not used to it," Heckyl commented, and Teddie sighed.

"Nora, here, you left this earlier," she called as Nora helped Ziggy up again.

"Oh, my camera. Thanks," Nora grabbed it quickly, aware that she was blushing, but was thankful she could blame it somewhat on training. She looked to Teddie, who seemed innocent, but Nora knew she was very good at hiding some things.

"Hey Scott, you up for some training?" Teddie just turned to the leader, who nodded.

"Come on, let's get some ice for that before it bruises," Nora smirked to Ziggy, who was rubbing his wrist.

"You're still mean," he told her.

"Yeah yeah," Nora just clapped a hand to his back, making him wince as they left.

"You ever wonder just how she puts up with him?" Scott asked curiously.

"I do," Dr. K spoke up from her computer.

"I'm still curious on how they even met," Teddie shrugged.

* * *

 _Nora had no idea how long she'd been travelling. And worse, she had no idea where she was. The last marker leading to Corinth had been miles ago._

" _Maybe I went the wrong way..." she murmured to herself, taking a break and sitting on the wreckage of a car. She sighed heavily. "Maybe Corinth really_ was _a rumour," the girl sighed, her stomach rumbling._

 _Hearing a screech, her head lifted, and she heard the tell-tale beeping of Grinders. "Shit," she growled, leaping up and racing in the direction of the robots. Coming to the top of a small hill, she spotted Grinders surrounding a skinny figure on the ground, cowering. "Hey creeps!" Nora rushed in, and barely heard the cry of alarm before cutting through the Grinders. Dodging their blasts with moves well practised over the last year, Nora destroyed the Grinders, and looked around, making sure there weren't any more. "You okay?" she asked._

" _You're...human?" he peeked up from under his arms with big brown eyes. Nora arched an eyebrow, lowering her hood and pulling down the goggles so they hung from her neck. "You are!" he leapt up and before she knew it, he was hugging her._

" _Get off!" Nora shoved him off, and the boy tripped over his own feet, landing in the dirt. She scowled at him, taking in his scruffy appearance. He wore a ruined suit that looked like it was too big on him, with curly hair covered in a layer of sand. His skin was covered in dirt, but he didn't seem hardened by the Waste._

" _I-I'm sorry, I j-just haven't seen a person in like a week," he stammered._

" _A week?" Nora repeated. She hadn't seen another person in months. "How have you survived on your own for so long?" she demanded._

" _Lucky, I guess," he shrugged, getting back to his feet. He was tall, at least a head and shoulders taller than her. "What are you doing out here?" he asked, curious._

" _What are_ you _doing out here?" Nora countered, unable to stop herself from being defensive._

" _Okay, fair point," he raised his hands defensively. "Thank you. For helping me," he said, and Nora rolled her eyes, looking away awkwardly._

" _It's fine. A destroyed Grinder is a good Grinder," she shrugged. She turned to leave, but he cried out._

" _W-wait! Please, you can't leave me out here alone," he pleaded, and she sighed._

" _Clearly," she muttered, and her stomach grumbled._

" _You need food? I have some left," eager to please, he offered up his bag, and Nora couldn't resist. She grabbed something small, and split it with him, taking a seat in the sand. "I'm Ziggy, Ziggy Grover," he introduced himself._

" _Ziggy?" Nora repeated. He nodded. "Of course you have to have a weird name," she commented._

" _My parents were fans of that English singer guy," Ziggy answered as he chewed on his half of the energy bar. "You?" he looked up._

" _Nora, Russell," she answered._

" _So, Nora, Russell," his goofy grin made her arch an eyebrow. Something about his attitude reminded her of Teddie. Her chest hurt at the thought of her friend. "Where are you headed to?" he asked._

" _Uh," she paused, a little unsure of what to tell him. But his honest expression made her doubt he was able to dupe anyone. "Corinth. If I can find it," Nora decided to be honest back._

" _Corinth?" a grin spread across his face. "I just came from there! I can show you," he told her confidently._

" _Really?" Nora frowned. "If you just came from there, why would you go back?" she asked, holding off on asking the question she wanted to ask him. She wondered just why he'd left in the first place._

" _You just saved my life," Ziggy told her with a shrug. "I owe you. And Ziggy pays his debts," he said, but after he said it, he glanced away, looking worried._

" _Are you sure? You don't look too eager to go back," Nora said, finishing off the food._

" _Of course I am. It's a week away, but we can make it," he smiled._

" _Okay, if you're sure," Nora agreed, and his bright smile was almost comical. "Lead the way," she instructed, and he jumped to his feet. She got up slower, and watched as he started climbing up the hill. "I guess beggars can't be choosers, let's hope this guy is the real deal," she commented to herself, starting to follow him._

* * *

 **I'd been sitting on this chapter half written for a while now, and I had some time this evening and I was done with FF14 for the day (the new patch is my life right now) so I figured I'd finally force myself to write, and very quickly got over my block with the right music (FF14's soundtrack is _great_ for that).**

 **I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	15. Blitz

Chapter 15: Blitz

Kiana let out a delighted squeal as she was tossed through the air, before landing safely in Teddie's arms.

"Again!" the little girl giggled, giddy from the excitement.

"Again?" Teddie repeated with a laugh. "I've been throwing you for like half an hour!" she told the blonde girl.

"Again!" Kiana demanded, and let out another squeal as Teddie tossed her into the air with no warning. She caught her, dancing around the garage as Kiana laughed loudly.

"And here I thought it couldn't get any louder here," Scott commented as he jogged in, followed by Flynn. He grinned, showing he wasn't really bothered by it, and Teddie stuck out her tongue at the pair. Kiana mimicked her, still laughing.

"Don't be teaching her bad habits," Spencer called over, glancing at her from over his glasses. "Annie will kill me," he said, looking back down at the info he was reading.

"Babysitting duty?" Flynn asked as he walked over.

"There was a break in at a factory across the city," Spencer explained as he ran a hand through his hair. "Bridge and Annie are two of the best when it comes to this stuff, so I volunteered to look after Kiana for them," he explained.

"And by that he means I look after her while he looks over the file like the nerd he is," Teddie explained, and both Scott and Flynn laughed as Spencer rolled his eyes.

"I've gotta ask, what's with the gloves?" Flynn asked curiously.

"Bridge is an empath," Spencer explained, leaving the report to walk over. Kiana threw herself at him, her arms going around his neck as she giggled. "And Kiana inherited those powers. The gloves," he pulled at them, and the girl pulled her hands away, smiling. "Help to stop her from getting swarmed by feelings and thoughts constantly," he told them.

"An empath," Scott repeated, looking at the little girl. "Is _anyone_ you know normal, Ted?" he asked her.

"Uh," Teddie thought about it. "No," she decided after a moment, grinning at him to let him know she included him in that. Scott rolled his eyes, laughing quietly as Flynn smirked.

The light-hearted air around the garage was interrupted, as the alarms blared loudly, and Kiana's grip on Spencer tightened in alarm.

"Rangers," Dr. K emerged from her lab, concerned. "I'm picking up a transmission from within the city that is designed to momentarily cause shield energy disruption," she explained. "But there's another signal heading South by South-west through the sewer corridor," she warned.

"The sewer?" Flynn repeated.

"Please tell me we don't have to go into the sewers," Teddie whined. "It took days to get the sewer smell out of my hair the last time I went down there," she grumbled.

"Why were you in the sewers?" Ziggy asked her, confused.

"It's target must be the city central dam," Spencer interrupted as he walked over.

"He's right," Scott nodded. "If we cut across the aqueduct, we can beat it there," he told them, and they scattered, moving to their respective vehicles.

"And I'll try and track the source of the energy disruption," Dr. K decided. Spencer watched as Dillon walked to his car, looking frazzled and exhausted. He growled at Summer as she spoke to him, seeing it too, and she rolled her eyes, walking over to her bike and lifting her helmet.

"He's scared," Kiana's soft voice made Spencer look to the young blonde, who was watching Dillon with eyes that seemed much older.

"It scares me how much like your dad you are," he told her, and she glanced to him, tilting her head in confusion. It made her god-father laugh, patting her head. "He'll be okay," Spencer said softly as the multiple vehicles sped out of the garage.

* * *

" _Shifter, Crunch, Tenaya 7, Siren 8, watch and learn_ ," Venjix ordered as his tube rotated, and the four turned to the projection he was showing. A large group of Grinders, accompanied by a powerful Attackbot, faced the Rangers as they arrived on the scene, already Morphed.

"This ought to be interesting," Siren folded her arms.

* * *

Teddie flipped over the head of a Grinder and landed behind it, kicking back hard and throwing it into a wall.

"Oof, that looked like it hurt," she laughed, dodging a punch and grabbing the outstretched arm. Swinging, she tossed the Grinder into another, and kicked them as they were knocked off balance.

Nearby, Arianna moved gracefully to dodge the attacks thrown at her, easily fighting off each Grinder that tried to attack her. Catching one, she forced it to move along and used its blaster to take out the rest around them, before leaping up and kicking the Grinder in the head.

"I guess all those lessons with the Dino Rangers helped after all," the Mercury Ranger commented lightly.

After clearing the Grinders attacking him, Scott ran to fight off the Attackbot, with Flynn joining, firing several blasts from his Turbo Cannon.

"Dr. K, have you found the source of that pulse signal yet?" Scott asked as the Attackbot groaned. Before Dr. K could reply, the Attackbot got back up and fired a heavy jet of water at the Red Ranger. He barely dodged it, and backed away, standing with Flynn, Summer and Teddie.

' _Not yet_ ,' Dr. K responded, working hard.

"Let's take this guy out," Teddie said to the other three, and they rushed the Attackbot. It was powerful, holding its own against the four, before hitting two levers on its sides. It fired a powerful blast that hit the ground by the Rangers, and they were blown off their feet.

"Come on!" Scott shouted, but as they pushed themselves back up, the Attackbot caught them with the powerful jettisons of water, and they hit the ground again.

"I don't need any more acquainted with the ground," Teddie sat up and hurled an energy ball, clipping the Attackbot and shoving it back.

"Still not quite used to that lass," Flynn told her as he breathed heavily, knowing his chest had to be bruising under the suit. Dillon, Ziggy and Arianna joined them, fighting off the Attackbot with powerful strikes.

"Jet Fists!" as the Attackbot stood over Ziggy as he fell, Arianna punched it hard, and Dillon grabbed Ziggy's arm, using his enhanced strength to swing the Green Ranger through the air. Ziggy yelped as Dillon used him as a weapon, striking the Attackbot repeatedly.

"That was unnecessary," he complained to the Black Ranger, before the Attackbot hit them both with powerful blasts and they crashed to the ground.

"Zip Charger, Activate!" as it turned to Arianna, Summer rushed in and used her own weapon. The Attackbot deflected her attacks, and sent her flying back to join the fallen Black and Green Rangers. Arianna threw a punch, but the Attackbot dodged, and grabbed her, striking her before tossing the Mercury Ranger to the ground.

"Street Sabre Strike!" using the enhanced speed of his suit, Scott rushed at the Attackbot, but it reacted fast and countered with jabs of it's own. Scott stumbled back, and the group were blasted off their feet again.

"Okay, now this is getting kind of humiliating," Ziggy complained.

"I have an idea," Teddie pushed herself back up. "Flynn, stop that Attackbot," she told the Blue Ranger.

"Sounds good to me," Flynn nodded, and the lights on his helmet flashed. He then ran in, striking the Attackbot as time was frozen. It crashed to the ground, and Teddie darted past Flynn.

"Get back!" she called, and they moved out of range as the lights on Teddie's helmet flashed this time, and the Attackbot was hit at close range by the powerful burst of energy Teddie called on. It slammed into a wall, and twitched, badly damaged by the strike.

"Great work guys," Scott grinned as they stood with Teddie.

"RPM Enforcer!" the Rangers combined their weapons and and fired the cannon. The Attackbot tried to defend itself, but their attack was more powerful, destroying it.

* * *

Siren winced, putting a hand to her masked face, hoping that she looked humble as she hid her smirk. Shifter and Crunch winced, and Tenaya rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her sigh of exasperation.

"Let me guess. Bigger is better?" Tenaya asked, irritated.

" _Initiate power load_ ," Venjix ordered.

"Oh! I love this part every time!" Crunch cheered, excited. "I just never get tired of it," he giggled. Tenaya sighed heavily as Siren giggled. The lights flashed around the room, and sent power to the Attackbot.

* * *

Roaring as it was revived, the Attackbot grew much bigger, and Teddie cracked her knuckles.

"Let's have some fun with the Zenith Megazord!" she cheered.

"Right!" Scott nodded as they called on their Zords.

"Really starting to feel left out," Arianna complained as she watched.

"Let's see how he likes playing tag," Scott called. They dodged the blasts the Attackbot fired at them, and it stopped, unable to get a lock on the Megazord as it easily moved through the city. It fired wildly, but they continued to dodge, and it was left open to their attack.

"Fire!" Dillon yelled. They fired their counterstrike, not missing their target.

"Wheel Blaster!" the Rangers called as the eyes on the Megazord began to glow.

"Engine Cells activate!"

"Fire!" the lights slammed into the Attackbot, destroying it.

* * *

"Not again," Shifter sighed as the image vanished.

"Oh, looks like that bot finally met his match," Crunch giggled, before stopping himself with a gasp. "Oh! Sorry..." he apologised.

"Why were you even reassembled?" Siren asked him.

" _Silence_!" Venjix ordered, firing a blast at the ground in front of Crunch and Shifter. They cried out, stumbling back.

"Well, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again," Tenaya rolled her eyes, bored. "I'm turning in," she declared, turning and walking away.

" _You should stay Tenaya 7_ ," Venjix ordered.

"Hey, you're the one who created me with human physiology and emotions. Don't blame me if I need to sleep once in a while," Tenaya bit back, irritated.

" _You should stay because I have already planted one of my most trusted and reliable Attackbots in the city_ ," Venjix ordered her again, and Tenaya groaned as Siren shrugged.

"That guy huh?" she muttered as Tenaya returned.

" _It's been sending out signals that are disrupting the shield frequencies_ ," Venjix continued. " _While he's doing that, we'll keep sending Attackbots to wear the Rangers down, so we can destroy the city_!" he declared.

* * *

Any break the Rangers had was short lived, as the shield was wearing down and another Attackbot was picked up in the city.

" _I've almost pinpointed the signal_ ," Dr. K told them as they ran towards the forest.

"This way!" Teddie guided the team through the forest, and they spotted an Attackbot waiting for them.

"Here we go again," Scott called as he leapt at the Attackbot, kicking it hard. The others joined in, but it was as powerful as the last, tossing each of the Rangers to the ground as they tried to fight it. They were blasted off their feet, and Teddie let out a growl.

"Enough is enough!" she pushed herself back to her feet, and threw out her arms. The ground began to tremble, and vines burst out around the Attackbot. They wrapped around him, immobilising him.

"Nice one!" Summer smiled.

"Nitro Swords!" calling on their weapons, the Rangers bombarded the Attackbot with powerful strikes, and the vines tossed it through the air. It landed with a dull thud nearby, rolling along.

" _Rangers, I have pinpointed the source of the transmission that is disrupting the shield. Are you done with that Attackbot and ready to deploy_?" Dr. K asked.

"Give us a minute," Teddie told her as they called on their individual weapons.

"Rocket Blaster!" as it was knocked off balance by Scott and Summer's weapons, Dillon fired multiple blasts that hit the Attackbot and broke through its armour.

"Batter up!" Teddie slammed her hammer against the broken metal, cracking it even more.

"Turbo Cannon!" Flynn took his turn.

"Jet Fists!" Arianna got in close as the Attackbot was overwhelmed by their attacks.

"Turbo Axe!" with a heavy blow from the massive axe, Ziggy tossed the Attackbot to the ground again. "RPM Enforcer" the Rangers combined their weapons and fired a blast of energy that destroyed the Attackbot.

* * *

Glaring at the static that was left on the projection after the Attackbot was destroyed, Tenaya stifled a yawn.

"Okay, _now_ can I go to bed?" she asked.

" _Oh no, it's not over_ ," Venjix answered, stopping her from leaving. Tenaya let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, and sat back down.

* * *

"Doc, we're on our way to find that pulse signal," Scott told Dr. K as they ran back to their vehicles.

" _Rangers, I'm detecting another breach at the docks_ ," they stopped, groaning as Dr. K alerted them to another Attackbot.

"Doc, we are not gonna be able to keep this up," Scott warned her. They were all tired and beaten after taking on two powerful Attackbots already.

"Venjix is doing this on purpose," Teddie spoke softly. "He's wearing us down with attack after attack so we can't defend ourselves against the real threat," she warned the team, worried.

"You guys do your best with the alarms," Dillon spoke up. "Ziggy and I will go after that signal," he volunteered.

"Right. Teddie, go with them," Scott nodded, turning to the White Ranger.

"Can do," she saluted, lifting her helmet. They split up, and Teddie followed Dillon's car as the others veered off in the other direction.

" _It'll be looking for a high vantage point to broadcast. Trees, electric towers-_ "

"Rooftops, there!" Ziggy spotted a figure on the roof of a skyscraper nearby.

"A tree would have made this so much easier," Teddie grumbled as she pulled her helmet off.

"You two cover the back. I'll flush him to you," Dillon told the pair, who nodded. They split up, with Dillon going to the roof as Teddie and Ziggy going another way.

"Something's not right," Teddie shook her head as they waited for Dillon to force the Attackbot to them. "It shouldn't take that long," she frowned, before they heard explosions above.

"Dillon!" Ziggy took off to help Dillon, and Teddie followed. They reached the roof, and spotted an Attackbot resembling a satellite facing Dillon, who had Morphed again. He went to blast it, but hesitated, giving the Attackbot a chance to fire into the air. Thunder boomed overhead, and the blasts shot back down. "Dillon!" Ziggy ran to help as Dillon was blasted off the roof. Morphing, Ziggy leapt off the roof as well.

"Well that was dramatic," Teddie frowned, grabbing her own Engine Cell. "RPM, GET IN GEAR!" she Morphed into her White Suit and slammed into the Attackbot, catching it by surprise.

"Another Ranger? All alone. You cannot survive against me," it warned as they faced each other.

"I've survived against monsters that look a lot tougher than you," Teddie retorted, rushing in and kicking it hard. "What did you say to Dillon?" she demanded as it caught her punch.

"Dillon? Is that what Subject D44 is calling himself?" the Attackbot asked, and Teddie's eyes widened.

"Oh no," she muttered, realising what it meant. Shoving it back, she called on her hammer. "You met him before," she accused.

"I _am_ the one who took his memories. So I wouldn't be so quick to use that, Ranger White," it warned. Teddie's grip on her hammer tightened and she let out a growl.

"I really don't like when you assholes can talk," she commented, hesitating just as Dillon did. Seeing its opening, the Attackbot looked up, and lightning slammed down as it controlled the climate control system. Teddie dove aside as the lightning slammed to the ground, and as she looked up, the Attackbot was gone.

"Teddie!" she looked up as Dillon and Ziggy reached her. "Where'd it go?" Dillon asked, his voice desperate.

"I don't know..." she admitted as she stood, lifting her hammer. "I couldn't..." Teddie trailed off, shaking her head and looking down at her weapon.

"Thanks, Teddie," Dillon nodded at her.

"We _do_ have to stop it though, Dillon," Teddie looked up.

"Let's go," not addressing her words, Dillon spoke, and they hurried off.

* * *

" _Rangers, my sensors are tracking the target moving west_ ," Dr. K reported. " _Converge on the following co-ordinates_ ," she ordered as Scott, Flynn, Summer and Arianna ran through the city.

"We're finished at the docks, and we're on our way," Scott replied.

"There it is!" Arianna called, and Scott jumped, kicking the Sat Bot as he caught it by surprise. It just about stayed standing, crying out as it stumbled away.

"It's time for you to go down," Flynn called.

"We'll see about that!"

"It talks," Arianna frowned.

"Let's take him down," Scott told the other three, and they worked together, bombarding it with attacks.

" _Rangers, you must destroy that Sat Bot before it can disrupt the shield and cause any more infiltration_ ," Dr. K told them.

"Street Sabre!" Scott called on his sword. "One fried Sat Bot coming up," he grinned confidently, running at the Attackbot. It stumbled away, but before Scott could land a blow, it was blocked. His eyes widened as Dillon pushed him back. "Dillon?! Have you lost it?!" the Red Ranger demanded.

"What's going on?" Summer questioned as Ziggy and Teddie reached them.

"It has Dillon's memories," Teddie explained. "If you destroy it, they're gone," their eyes widened in horror at the revelation.

"Dillon..." Summer breathed. The Attackbot turned and ran off, laughing as Dillon stopped Scott from chasing it.

" _Ranger Series Black, you cannot allow personal agendas and emotion to interfere with the protection of this city_ ," Dr. K warned him sternly, but Dillon refused to listen.

"Please," Scott stopped at Dillon's tone. It was soft, pleading, and nothing like they'd heard from their brooding Black Ranger. "They're all I have," he said quietly.

"Scott, there's gotta be something," Teddie stood beside the Black Ranger.

"We have no choice," Scott shook his head. Dillon's eyes widened. "Get him, Ziggy," he ordered the Green Ranger. However, Ziggy hesitated. " _Ziggy_!" Scott raised his voice, making him jump.

"R-right," he nodded, teleporting. He reappeared in front of the Sat Bot, and with a powerful swing of his Axe, tossed the Sat Bot to the ground.

"No!" Dillon shouted.

"Dillon!" Teddie caught his arm. "If we let that thing go, it'll leave the entire city defenceless," she pleaded with him as he struggled, but the blow he'd taken earlier from the Sat Bot had left him weaker.

"I thought you were on my side!" he snapped at her.

"I am!" Teddie insisted. "But we _have_ to stop it," she told him.

"Not like this!" he snapped, pulling his arm free.

" _Ranger Black, I'm afraid I have no choice...but to take you offline_ ," Dr. K sighed heavily. As Dillon ran towards where Ziggy was keeping the Attackbot down, his suit suddenly flashed with sparks of orange electricity. It stopped him from moving, and he groaned, staggering, before letting out a roar. A shock-wave burst from him, slamming the five Rangers behind him and knocking them to the ground.

"What?" Ziggy's eyes widened as the fallen Rangers demorphed, exhausted from the fight, and he took his eyes off the Sat Bot. Dillon's legs gave out and he fell forwards onto the ground, and the Sat Bot laughed. Ziggy spun around, realising his mistake, only to be blasted at close range by an electrical attack from the Sat Bot. He let out a yell, landing near the other Rangers as his own suit shattered. The Sat Bot laughed and fired blasts into the air.

" _Rangers, you must take evasive action! You cannot survive an attack like this without your bio-suits_!" Dr. K ordered as thunder boomed overhead. The attacks flew down as they struggled to try and get up, leaping out of the way. The explosive wave caught them, tossing the group back to the ground. " _Ranger Black, you are the only one who can destroy the Sat Bot_ ," Dr. K warned him as the Sat Bot advanced on the fallen team.

"I can't!" Dillon shouted at her.

" _You can't let your emotions get in the way_!" Dr. K argued with him. " _We need you! Your_ team _needs you! If you don't do this...Venjix will win_ ," her voice was quieter as she pleaded with him.

"They're my memories..." Dillon shook his head.

" _Then I'll have to shut you down_ ," Dr. K sighed. Dillon took a step forwards, only to go rigid as his suit flashed orange. He fought against Dr. K as she attempted to take his Morpher offline.

"Unfortunately Doc, I don't shut down so easily," the Black Ranger growled. With a roar, he threw out his arms, and his suit shone with purple and orange lights, stopping whatever the Doctor was doing to him. "You're mine!" he yelled at the Sat Bot. He punched it hard, shoving it back.

"Dillon!" Summer called to him as he hesitated again. He glanced to her, and his fists clenched. He turned back to the Sat Bot as it pushed itself back up. "Nitro Sword!" he called on his weapon, striking the Attackbot with precise hits.

"Give, them, back!" the Black Ranger ordered with each hit. The Attackbot lashed out, but its blows just bounced off Dillon's suit, making it back away. Dillon attacked again, and with a powerful swing down, he shattered one of the Sat Bot's weapons.

"It's not over, Subject D44!" the Sat Bot warned him.

"It's over for you!" Dillon retorted. With a yell, he flipped through the air and kicked the Sat Bot in the face. "I'm going to put you out of my misery," he declared. "Rocket Blaster!" he called on his more powerful weapon.

"You won't do it," the Sat Bot shook its head. "You said it yourself. These old memories are _all_ you have," it taunted. Dillon glanced to the other Rangers, who were watching with wide eyes. He sighed.

"I have something else. New ones," he replied, and they smiled at his response. "Fire!" with several powerful blasts, he defeated the Sat Bot.

"You'll never know the truth!" the Sat Bot warned before it exploded.

"We'll see about that," Dillon muttered.

* * *

" _No_!" Venjix roared furiously at the loss of his Sat Bot.

"I don't care what else you have planned," Tenaya stood up. "I'm going to bed!" she declared, storming off. Siren stood as well, and stretched.

"I thought it would be interesting to mess with Ranger Black's head. Guess not. I'm going to bed too," she yawned, walking off.

"Sweet dreams!" Crunch called, waving as Venjix growled.

* * *

"Maybe I should have you look after Kiana more often," Annie commented, easily balancing Kiana in her arms as the girl slept soundly. "She always gets worn out with Teddie," she grinned, and looked over to the sofa. "Though it looks like she's not the only one," she considered, seeing Teddie and Arianna asleep on one sofa, leaning against each other. Ziggy was curled up on the armchair, snoring loudly, and Flynn was spread along the other sofa, snoring a lot more quietly than the Green Ranger.

"They had a hard day out there," Spencer pushed his glasses up as they slid down his nose. "They need the rest," he said, and Annie nodded in agreement. "How'd it go at the factory?" he asked, making the former Silver Ranger frown.

"It was weird. Materials stolen, no clues left behind," she shrugged.

"Venjix?" Spencer suggested.

"No," Annie shook her head. "None of the materials are the sort that Venjix uses in his bots, and he wouldn't steal them from the city. Plus, Bridge picked up human signatures. From what he could tell, they knew what they were doing and exactly what they were after," she said.

"Weird. Guess we'll just have to keep investigating," Spencer sighed, and Annie nodded.

"Thanks again for looking after Kia. And thank Teddie for me when she's awake," she told her best friend, who nodded.

"Will do. Later," he waved as she left, and he walked back into the lab to see how Dr. K's examination of Dillon was going.

"Hey, any nice dreams?" he heard Summer ask as Dillon woke from his own doze and looked at her. She moved the scanner away from him, smiling.

"I'm having one right now," Dillon answered. Summer blushed, and Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Please," he muttered. "How's it going, Doctor?" he walked over to the girl as Dillon and Summer looked at them.

"Ranger Operator Series Black, the Sat Bot signal that was transmitted into your arm contains an encrypted initiation code," she told them.

"Initiation?" Dillon repeated, frowning.

"Initiation of what?" Summer asked, her hand on Dillon's arm. Dr. K turned to face them, looking grave.

"Initiation of the virus that was lying dormant within your implanted robotics," their eyes widened at Dr. K's words.

"Maybe you zapped me a little too hard with your joy buzzer or whatever," Dillon shook his head. "But I'm not-"

"What exactly are you saying?" Summer asked, worried for the Black Ranger. Dr. K met her worried gaze, and glanced away for a moment, a dark look in her eyes, before she sighed and looked back at Dillon.

"The machinery within Ranger Black has restarted a self-generation process. It is growing, and it will keep growing until it has taken him over entirely," Dr. K explained as they stared at her. "There is no cure," she announced gravely, and neither spoke as Spencer looked at the readings on the computer, wondering just how they'd fix this.

* * *

 **I'm aiming to get another chapter written by the end of the weekend, so hopefully I'll have something for you by then!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	16. Brother's Keeper

**This chapter was pretty hard to write, so I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 16: Brother's Keeper

Running his hand through his red hair, Jacob tossed the file was reading aside and lifted another. The former Green Ranger flipped through the pages, scanning them quickly with his keen eyes.

"Any luck?" Sky asked as he set more files down on the large desk the group were sharing.

"Nothing," Jacob shook his head. "Why are these _all_ paper files? I feel like I've gone back to the Dark Ages," he complained, slumping back in his seat.

"The Colonel's old fashioned," Z answered as she lifted some of the files to share. She looked as worn out as Jacob felt. "It doesn't help that a computer virus took over the world. He wants to keep this paper based," she added, passing Kayden a few as well.

"It also keeps this investigation hidden from anyone who has access to any of the military systems," Bridge spoke up, setting a file on top of a precariously stacked pile. "The Cartels know we know they're after us, but they don't know that we're after them," he smiled. Jacob blinked rapidly.

"It allows us the element of surprise against them," Annie elaborated, to the relief of the team. Bridge nodded, as if he had said exactly this.

"I still don't know why the Cartels have their eye on us," Syd complained as she leaned back, thoughtful. "We have these powers, yeah," she allowed, touching the desk with her hand gently. She watched as it slowly started to change, absorbing the metal that made up their workspace. "But we'd never work with them," Syd finished, lifting her hand and letting it return to normal.

"I'd rather not find out what they have planned," Spencer closed the file in front of him. "We already have enough on our plates," he grumbled.

"Speaking of," Sky started as he took a seat. "How's babysitting duty going?" he asked. Spencer sighed, fixing his glasses as the others saw the exhaustion in his face.

"It's never dull with the Rangers, I'll give them that," Spencer laughed, but it was tired. "Scott's a good leader; his military background means he normally makes the right calls and he can keep control. Summer's a good second for him, she keeps them in order, and Flynn keeps their spirits up," Spencer reported, listing the Rangers.

"That's good, they have a lot on their shoulders," Syd smiled as Spencer grabbed his water.

"Yeah, they need the positivity. I know we did," Z remembered, Annie, Bridge, Syd and Sky nodded their agreement.

"Teddie's experience has helped her think of unconventional methods that are vital against Venjix. Arianna, well, ironically, she's the one who keeps them human, and she's normally the one who keeps them pushing forwards," Spencer chuckled at his own words. "Ziggy..." he then sighed, and the others grinned, seeing his exhaustion at the mere mention of the Green Ranger. "Well, he's improving, with Nora's help. His heart is in the right place, he's just..." Spencer trailed off.

"Ziggy," Annie finished for him with a smirk.

"Exactly," Spencer laughed.

"And Dillon?" Sky pressed about the reason Spencer was living with the Rangers to begin with.

"He's...new," Spencer answered honestly. "He's an effective part of the team, and despite his attitude, he cares about them. He's the protector," he decided.

"And his implants?" Sky asked, curious.

"He recently had the chance to reclaim his memories, but it may have been at the expense of the city," Spencer's words took them by surprise. "He sacrificed his memories and destroyed the Attackbot that took them," he rested his head in his hand. "Honestly, I believe he can be trusted," he decided.

"You've thought about this a lot, huh?" Kayden grinned, and Spencer shrugged, feeling his face start to warm.

"I have a lot of time to," he defended, embarrassed.

"Speaking of the Rangers, where are they today?" Annie asked.

"At the beach. They finally have some time to relax," Spencer answered, before looking down and sighing heavily. "Unlike us," he grumbled, reminding them all of their work as he looked at the stack of files in front of him. They all groaned.

* * *

The quiet of the beach was interrupted only by the waves breaking against the shore. It was a colder day, leading into the start of Winter, meaning there weren't too many people around.

"You know, I didn't really know just how _exhausting_ it is to be a Ranger," Arianna admitted, her fingers curled around Philip's as they walked along the beach, separate from the other Rangers. "Especially with the last few fights," she considered.

"It is hard work," Philip agreed. "And you're more involved than I ever was," he added, making Arianna look up at him in surprise.

"Just because you weren't in every battle doesn't mean you weren't involved. You were helping search for the Silver Energem," the Mercury Ranger said firmly. Philip grinned at her words.

"Inspiring even now," he pulled her into his arms and lifted her into the air as she laughed. "Surely our roles should be reversed," Philip smiled as she rested her forehead to his.

"Only if you stop putting yourself down," Arianna told him, amused.

"You never let me even try to," Philip told her, tilting his head to kiss her. Arianna rested her arms on his shoulders, enjoying the moment of peace that was rare for the pair to be able to enjoy since she'd become a Ranger.

The quiet was interrupted by the loud roar of two cars, and with a sigh, Arianna drew back.

"It seems Scott and Dillon are competing again," she commented, and Philip set her down back on her feet, before taking her hand.

"Shall we join them?" he asked, and the two walked over the hill to where the rest of the group was standing, minus Scott and Dillon. In the distance, their cars raced towards them.

"Hey guys, you're just in time for the bet," Teddie grinned to them.

"Bet?" Arianna asked.

"Dillon and Scott are arguing about who's car is better again," Nora rolled her eyes as Ziggy dragged a stick through the sand to mark the finishing line. "And Summer and Flynn aren't helping," she added.

"I told you the salt air would throw off Scott's Nitrous mixture by at least 7%," Summer was saying to Flynn.

"Really?" the Blue Ranger smirked, unconvinced. "Care to double our bet then?" he challenged her.

"You're on," Summer agreed, shaking his hand.

"Summer thinks racing on the beach gives Dillon's car an advantage, while Flynn believes that Scott's car has been worked on too well for the salty air to mess with it enough that we see a noticeable difference," Teddie explained to the two who'd joined them. "Ziggy's on Dillon's side purely because he's his best friend-"

"Dillon still denies it," Nora snorted, and Ziggy batted her lightly with the stick he was leaning on.

"Nora doesn't care," Teddie continued with a giggle. "I think Dillon has it, since his car _has_ survived the Waste, it wouldn't be bothered as much by this air. And Heckyl thinks neither will win," she finished.

"I don't really care, but Teddie wouldn't stop until I gave an answer," Heckyl rolled his eyes, and Teddie pouted at him.

"You're mean," she complained.

"Yet you still choose to care," he smirked at her. Summer and Flynn started to cheer as the cars drew closer, with Dillon in the lead, before Teddie frowned. As she did, both Dillon and Scott slammed on the brakes, their cars skidding to a stop in the sand before the finishing line.

"Sorry, is this your way of like, drawing out the suspense of something, because..." Ziggy frowned, confused as Dillon and Scott climbed out of their cars and stormed towards them.

"I'm all about good sportsmanship, but we all have something of a bet going on here," Flynn complained.

"Uh, guys, there's a reason they stopped," Teddie cleared her throat, jabbing her thumb behind her.

"Very, very impressive race," Tenaya clapped slowly as they turned around. "But you see, I prefer my battles to have a more permanent outcome," she told them.

"I don't care how powerful or deadly you think you are, Miss. Tenaya 7," Ziggy spoke up. "But there are a lot more of us than there are of you," he pointed out.

"Learn to count, Green Ranger," Siren slid down the dune gracefully, stopping beside Tenaya as Grinders popped up from behind the rocks.

"You had to say something," Teddie rolled her eyes.

"You really need to stop with that superstition," Heckyl told her. Teddie just stuck her tongue out in response. The Grinders then rushed in, and Dillon faced off against Tenaya as Siren made straight for Teddie.

"You couldn't just let us have one day, huh?" Teddie blocked Siren's punch and kicked her back.

"We're trying to wipe you off the face of the planet, Ranger White. We're not here to play games," Siren replied as she recovered.

"Good point," Teddie allowed, and smirked. "Guess I'll try something different. You know about me and my powers, right?" she asked, and Siren snorted.

"Of course. It's what makes me the perfect counter to your pathetic resistance," she replied, not understanding when Teddie laughed.

"You realise we're on the beach, right? And what is _sand_ made of?" Siren's own smirk faded and she took a step back in understanding. Teddie threw her hands out, and they started to glow green with her magic. The sand under Siren's feet shifted and she was knocked off balance, before the sand started to swirl around her, bombarding her.

"Nice choice," Nora called as she melted Grinders around her with the flames she controlled around her.

"I have always wanted to try it," Teddie admitted. "Arianna!" she called to the Mercurian as she knocked another Grinder to the ground. She nodded, and leapt in as the sand suddenly dispersed, leaving Siren open to the kick Arianna landed between her shoulders. She tumbled to the ground as Arianna landed beside her.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the two Morphed and called on their weapons, continuing to fight with the others as Siren spat out sand and clenched her fists. She rushed at Arianna, only to be blasted off her feet by the blue energy thrown in her direction by Heckyl.

"You _really_ are a pain," she hissed at him. He smirked back at her.

"So I've been told," he replied, and Siren turned to Tenaya as she blasted Dillon off his feet and he demorphed. She took off, and as Dillon looked up from the sand, they were gone.

"There is no way you took out more Grinders than me," Summer told Flynn as they all demorphed and regrouped.

"You just don't want to pay up," Flynn argued, and she gave a mocking laugh.

"I believe I taught you quite a few of those moves," Philip said to Arianna as he caught her hand. She smiled back at him, her face flushed, not just from the exertion of the fight.

"Urgh, they're so sweet, it's gross," Nora grumbled with a roll of her eyes. Teddie grinned at her.

"Careful, you sound jealous," she teased, and cried out when Nora punched her. She scrambled over to Heckyl's other side, clinging to him.

"Don't look at me, you asked for that," he told her as Nora glared at her.

"Remember, Fire beats Earth," she warned irritably, stalking off. Teddie stuck her tongue out at her back.

"I had you," she heard Scott and Dillon say to each other.

"You know, I do believe I won that bet after all," Heckyl told Teddie with a smirk. She frowned up at him.

"You didn't even _want_ to be part of it," she complained.

"Backing out now Teddie?" he teased, catching her as she went to pull away, blushing. "You're the one who insisted I join in," he reminded her.

"But I don't wanna," Teddie stuck her lip out in a pout.

"What _was_ your bet?" Arianna asked, curious.

"She has to go 48 hours without using _any_ powers," Heckyl answered.

"Please don't make me do that!" Teddie wailed, pleading with him as he seemed entertained by her tantrum.

"Good luck with that," Nora snorted. "See you back at the garage," she laughed, climbing into the back of Dillon's car.

"I really wish I could hate you," Teddie grumbled, still blushing as Heckyl pulled her closer still. "Two days without my powers? I'm gonna go crazy," she whined.

"Take it as a challenge," Heckyl kissed her cheek lightly before letting her go. "See how long you can go pretending to be somewhat normal," he said as he walked away. Teddie arched an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

"You really can't talk you know," she pointed out, following him.

"I don't believe I'll ever get used to those two," Philip confessed. Arianna sighed.

"You and me both," she agreed.

* * *

Night had fallen in Corinth, and the majority of the Rangers had gone to bed, worn out by the events of the day. Summer sat at the table, picking at the last of her dinner, but her focus was on the computer screen in front of her.

Pushing her plate away, the Yellow Ranger sighed heavily and lifted her glass of milk instead.

"You're up late," she jumped, almost dropping her glass as Teddie spoke. She approached Summer, wearing a pair of loose shorts and a vest under her jacket, clearly dressed for bed.

"Weren't you told _not_ to use powers?" Summer sighed, but was smiling slightly as Teddie took a seat. She grinned back, unapologetic.

"I'm not," she answered. "There's no magic or altered DNA with my Ninja stealth. Can't help it," she winked. Summer rolled her eyes.

"Why am I not surprised that you found a loophole for your bet?" she murmured, taking another drink.

"So what's up? Normally you're pretty prompt with going to bed," Teddie commented, and spotted the blush across her friend's cheeks. She tilted her head, and glanced over her shoulder. Her dark eyes widened, and she smiled. "Ah, I see. A dilemma," she turned back to Summer, who sighed.

"I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?" she asked softly.

"I don't think so," Teddie's honest answer took her by surprise, and she looked up as Teddie walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "You and Scott, you work well together. You're his second in command and he trusts you, and he actually listens to you," she said, taking a seat. "He's polite but isn't afraid to stand up for himself if he's pushed. Honestly, I figured you'd get together at some point," she admitted.

"Really?" Summer was surprised by Teddie's input, which wasn't unwanted.

"Yeah, you two are pretty much partners out there. Flynn I guess is too, to an extent, but not as much as you guys. It's why, before Dillon, Ziggy and Arianna joined, we normally paired up if it was needed," Teddie explained. Summer nodded slowly, never having noticed. "But Dillon. Well...he's Dillon," Teddie smiled again. "He's the brooding bad boy with a mysterious past. And you two have had chemistry since he saved your butt the first time," Summer felt her blush grow.

Teddie turned her head to the computer again, quiet for a moment. "Dillon's different. And considering your background, probably very different to what you're used to," she accused. Summer didn't speak, but she knew Teddie had a point. "He's tough, speaks his mind and doesn't take crap from anyone. But he has that tortured vibe, you think you can help him," Teddie added. Summer looked from Scott and Dillon's pictures, back to the White Ranger. She frowned slightly, her face warming even more.

"Am I really so obvious?" she asked.

"Not really," Teddie grinned, and took a drink. "I just notice these things," she laughed, before they heard the door of the fridge open, and looked around. First spotting the fluffy puppy slippers under the door, Teddie giggled, and Dr. K straightened up.

"Ranger White is correct," Summer's eyes widened, and Teddie's smile grew, as Dr. K shut the fridge door. "It is quite the dilemma, and Ranger White explained it fairly well in terms of the mental attraction. However, there is also the physical attraction," Summer's face burned at Dr. K's matter of fact tone.

"I'm loving this," Teddie giggled. Summer shot her a glare.

"Comparing the raw data on a cuteness scale is almost as difficult as the metal attraction," Dr. K wasn't put off. "One scoring a solid 9, but the other registering the cuteness scale's maximum of ten," she answered. Summer's eyebrow arched as Teddie covered her hands to hide her giggles.

"Which one do you think is the ten?" Summer asked, feeling defensive.

"Why? Which one do _you_ think is the ten?" Dr. K challenged.

"She has you there," Teddie laughed as Summer huffed.

"Well, which do _you_ think is the ten?" the Yellow Ranger huffed. Teddie smirked.

"This isn't about me," she replied, batting the bottle between her hands. "Besides, you know I'm not a fan of a guy in..." she paused, her smirk growing. "Self-assembling nanofibre formed with an intercellular sheet memory alloy," she recited.

"How do you remember these things?" Summer questioned as Dr. K looked mildly impressed, happy that she hadn't called it spandex. Before Teddie could answer, the alarm blared loudly. A minute later, the rest of the team, along with Nora and Spencer, rushed down, with the Rangers tugging on their jackets.

"Please tell me Venjix isn't going for night time attacks again," Teddie complained.

' _Warning, shield levels decreasing_ ,' the computer announced.

"Rise and shine Dillon! Let's move!" Scott called to the only member of the team not there.

"Massive shield failures," Dr. K read as she brought up a map of the city and the information of the shield.

"Something's manually overriding the controls," Spencer realised, his hair standing on end.

" _Dr. K_ ," Colonel Truman appeared. " _Our instruments are showing that the city's shields are being shut down from inside your lab_ ," he warned. Their eyes widened, and they rushed into the lab. They were greeted with smoke, and as it cleared, they found Dillon standing by one of the computers, yanking out wires.

"Dillon!" Summer called. He straightened up, and looked around, his gaze empty. He then turned back to the computer, and continued his destruction.

"What are you doing?!" Flynn yelled.

"Can't you see? He doesn't _know_ what he's doing!" Summer realised as Dillon walked away, towards another computer.

"Well I know what he's doing, and I'm going to stop him!" Scott growled, pushing past them and storming over to Dillon. As he grabbed the Black Ranger's arm, Dillon whirled around and shoved hard. His enhanced strength allowed him to break free of Scott's grasp, shoving him back. Flynn caught the Red Ranger, and the two grabbed Dillon, working to restrain him, and Ziggy let out a cry as Dillon kicked him hard.

"Careful!" Nora grabbed his arm, keeping the Green Ranger upright as he wrapped an arm around himself, already paler. Summer was knocked to the ground as Flynn was shoved away, and Dillon grabbed Scott, slamming him to the ground.

"We need to figure out what's wrong with him!" Teddie called to the others as she rushed in, dodging Dillon's punch, but he was fast too, and he grabbed her jacket, spinning her around and slamming her against the wall. She let out a cry, sinking to the ground, and a swift kick from Dillon dropped Flynn like a sack of bricks.

"That had to hurt," Spencer winced.

"This radical level of must be from a remote flash device," Dr. K said, and Spencer grabbed her scanner from the computer. He tossed it to her, and he rammed into Dillon. The Black Ranger stumbled backwards, before recovering and throwing a punch. Spencer caught it, flinching as the force jarred his arm, before catching Dillon's other fist. They grappled, and Dr. K rushed in quickly, trying to scan Dillon for a location of the device.

"Scanning commenced," she said, but Dillon was too strong, and Spencer let out a cry as he was hoisted off his feet and swung across the room. He landed with a thud, and Dillon turned to Dr. K, smashing her scanner with such force that it was yanked from her hand. "Scanning interrupted," Dr. K muttered, her eyes on the destroyed scanner.

"Dr. K!" Arianna tackled her out of the way as Dillon went to strike her. He followed the two as they fell to the ground, before Scott grabbed him from behind, wrapping his arms around Dillon to restrain him. Dillon backed up quickly, and Scott cried out as his back was smashed against the wall. His grip weakened for a moment, but he refused to let go as he was slammed against the wall again.

"The back of his neck!" the Red Ranger managed to say before his grip finally broke and he sank to the ground. Dillon walked away from him, and Flynn grabbed his arm, struggling with the Black Ranger as Teddie got up and leapt up, clinging to Dillon's back, knocking off the small round device stuck to the back of Dillon's neck. He stopped moving, and Flynn felt him stop resisting. Dr. K scrambled to her feet and over to the computer.

"Restoring shields," she announced, and looked up as Teddie yelped. Dillon fell to the ground, with Teddie landing beside him and Flynn going down with them, holding Dillon in place warily. Dillon's head lifted and he blinked, alert.

"What the...why are you hugging me?" he asked, looking from Flynn to Teddie. Flynn sighed, and they rolled away, letting him go as Dillon sat up. "Doc," he noticed her standing at her computer, and his gaze drifted down to her feet. "What's with the slippers?" he asked, and she looked down at the blue puppies, going red.

* * *

"I suppose you're gonna tell me that this is for my own protection?" Dillon asked sceptically, lying on the bed with metal straps holding him in place.

"Hardly. It's for ours," Dr. K replied dryly.

"She's right, you kicked everyone's butts hard," Teddie agreed as she stood behind Scott, healing his badly bruised back.

"Think you managed to crack at least three of Ziggy's ribs as well," Arianna added as Spencer healed the Green Ranger, who was oddly quiet from the pain.

"Not to mention you might have prevented me from having sprogs of my own one day," Flynn grumbled.

"Gross," Teddie frowned at him.

"He's the one who did it!" Flynn defended, pointing at Dillon, who arched an eyebrow at him.

"Is this really necessary?" Summer sighed.

"It was that _thing_ that was doing it, not him," Ziggy spoke up, looking at the small device Nora was examining.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Dr. K shook her head, and moved a computer screen around so they could take a look. "If you look at these latest readings of Ranger Operator Series Black-"

"For the love of Odin's beard, woman, would you just call him Dillon?" Flynn interrupted with an irritated sigh.

"Is there a reason why you call us by our Ranger colours?" Arianna asked her softly, making Dr. K stiffen. She looked away.

"There's a reason for everything," she answered firmly, returning to her work. "When the remote bug was activated, it downloaded an accelerator upgrade into the viral hardware already growing inside Ranger Black," Dr. K explained, making it clear the previous topic was not up for discussion.

"Acceleration upgrade?" Summer repeated, confused.

"The Venjix hardware inside him is now taking over his biological being, at a rate 50 times greater than it was before," Dr. K explained. Everyone fell silent, stunned by this revelation.

"How long do I have, Doc? Before I change to a machine completely?" Dillon asked. His voice was steady, but there was fear that he couldn't completely disguise in his eyes. Summer reached out, taking his hand. He didn't look at her, but squeezed hers very gently.

"There is no telling at what point the infection will cause you to lose control over your own actions," Dr. K answered

"Hold on," Flynn spoke up. "We all saw that Venjix Attackbot this morning. That's what must have activated the device," he realised.

"Tenaya and that thing targeted Dillon, we were swarmed by everything else," Teddie nodded.

"If we could get that thing's circuit board, we could hack it and download the acceleration program. We could figure out a way to stop it," Flynn suggested.

"It still would not stop the spread of the virus," Dr. K pointed out.

"Aye, but it might slow it down, or stop the acceleration at least," Flynn countered.

"He's right," Spencer agreed as he stepped away from Ziggy, and took a seat on the other cot, his face pale. "If the Attackbot has the codes to activate the acceleration program, we can reverse engineer it," he pointed out.

"But there's just one issue," Teddie folded her arms. "How are we going to find that thing? It ran off with Siren and Tenaya," she pointed out.

"Exactly," Scott huffed. "It'll be long gone by now," he said.

"We lure it back," everyone looked at Ziggy as he took the small device from Nora, making her frown. "We lower the shields, Venjix will think Dillon did it, and he'll send everything he has, including that thing," he suggested. He looked away as everyone stared, silent.

"I hate to admit it, but that might actually work," Flynn was the first to speak.

"You'd be taking a massive risk," Spencer reminded them.

"But there's no other option," Nora countered, and Ziggy smiled slightly as she backed him up. Her cheeks reddened and she purposely kept looking at Spencer. "The team needs Dillon. Without him they're down too much firepower, and Venjix keeps evolving. If they let him go, Venjix could use him as his own personal Ranger," she argued.

"It's worth a try. We've got to do something," Ziggy agreed.

"Something involving putting the entire city and the fate of the human race at stake," Dr. K spoke up, looking adamantly against the idea. "All for Ranger Operator Series Black," she shook her head.

"Dillon," Summer corrected, holding out her hand. Dr. K stared, silenced by this, and handed over the key. "All for _Dillon_ ," she said, turning and unlocking the restraints on Dillon.

"Well, Ranger Yellow. I guess that pretty much answers the statistical question regarding the number _ten_ we were discussing earlier, does it not?" Dr. K asked, and Summer's face flushed as she rolled her eyes. Teddie giggled.

"Knew it," she sang, earning a glare.

"What are you talking about?" Flynn asked as everyone else looked confused.

"Nothing. Drop it," Summer ordered as she freed Dillon and stalked away.

* * *

Tossing a large bottle of water into the back of the car, along with food and other supplies, Dillon opened the door and climbed inside without a word. It was early, and the team had gone back to bed to get some rest before the plan went into action, so he'd decided to slip away before they could stop him.

As he went to start the ignition, he heard someone clear their throat, and looked around. He sighed, closing his eyes as he saw Scott sitting in his car with a smirk.

"Going somewhere?" the Red Ranger asked pleasantly. Dillon opened his eyes and scowled, pulling on his seatbelt and starting the ignition.

"I can't let you lower the city's shields. Not for me," he answered.

"Yeah, I kinda figured you might say that," Scott agreed with a nod. "But you keep forgetting. I'm _team leader_. I make those decisions, not you," he growled as Dillon rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Plus, I can outrun you," he said confidently. He started the engine, only for his eyes to widen as his car spluttered, and didn't start.

"Yeah, I kinda figured you'd say that," Dillon parroted with a smirk. "That's why I emptied the gas out of your tank," he explained. Scott sighed, sinking back into his seat. "So, I guess this is goodbye, fearless leader," Dillon teased as he rested his arm out the open window. "I'm heading out to the wasteland, where I can't be a danger to anybody. Don't try to follow me," he told Scott firmly.

"Dillon, Dillon, Dillon," he frowned as Scott gave a small laugh. "You really are a piece of work, aren't you?" Scott put his arm out the window. Dillon nodded, looking proud at the insult. "You know, you've got to be the most I have ever met – next to me, that is," he commented.

"Really? I thought Teddie might be competing for that title," Dillon smirked. Scott nodded.

"True, what do you think Ted?" he asked, and Dillon felt something cold and metal snap around his wrist. He looked out his window quickly to see Teddie attaching another end of a long pair of cuffs to Scott's wrist.

"Huh. I personally thought I was very easy to work with," the White Ranger giggled as she stood up.

"Teddie," Dillon growled at her as she danced away.

"You, my friend, are not going anywhere," Scott laughed. "Not without me," he tugged on the metal chains that bound them together, sliding out his window effortlessly to stand beside his car.

"Are you completely mad?" Dillon demanded, unable to believe his crazy team.

"Maybe," Scott shrugged, still grinning.

"I'm giving you five seconds. Take out the key and unlock us, then I'm pulling out of here. I'll take your arm with me if I have to," Dillon ordered, furious.

"This doesn't seem very good," Arianna commented to Teddie as they watched from the metal stairs. Scott sighed and dropped the chains with a loud clank.

"So convincing," Scott held out the key, but as Dillon snatched for it, Scott yanked his hand back and let the key fly off. There was a loud noise as it landed in an oil drum, disappearing. "You wish," he snorted.

"Suit yourself," Dillon slammed his foot down and the engine revved. "Last chance!" he warned.

"For both of us," Scott agreed as the other Rangers came out of the lab. Dillon started to drive, pulling Scott along, and for a moment, everyone thought Dillon was going to bring Scott with him. But a moment later, he slammed on the brake and skidded to a stop.

"I really hate you, you know that?" Dillon snarled at him.

"Yeah, yeah I know," Scott laughed as Dillon managed to get out of his car.

"Now. Let's have the spare," he ordered. Scott nodded, and turned to Ziggy, who paled.

"That uh...that was the spare," he admitted quietly. "I accidentally swallowed the original during my uh, charity magic show last month," the Green Ranger stammered, and Scott started to laugh.

"What about Teddie? From what I know, she knows how to pick locks," Nora suggested. They looked to where Teddie had been sitting, only to see that she had vanished. Dillon growled low, and Scott's laughter grew.

"Looks like it's you and me, Dil," the Red Ranger giggled.

"I'm going to kill her," Dillon decided.

* * *

"And you left them like that?" Jeremy laughed as Teddie finished telling the story.

"I couldn't resist," she grinned, devious. "Spence is with the Colonel explaining the plan, so they can't go to him for help either. This way, Dillon has to learn that we're a team no matter what," Teddie looked down at her guitar, tuning it.

"You really are cruel sometimes Ted," Ryan mused, looking over his own guitar. She grinned back, and he was betrayed by his own mouth turning up. "Dillon sounds pretty stubborn, you think it'll work?" he asked.

"Hey, Teddie's own stubbornness was what got me to accept the team," Jeremy shrugged, drumming lightly.

"That and Chase punching you," Ryan smirked at him, and the former Silver Ranger laughed, rubbing his jaw.

"Fair point," he agreed.

"Hey, you told me it was me," Teddie pouted.

"How's the team going anyway?" Ryan asked, still smirking as Teddie huffed.

"Chaos. Just like with the Dino Rangers," she answered honestly. "But we come together when it counts, and that's what matters. I just...I wish Doc K would tell us what she's hiding," the White Ranger admitted, strumming a few notes. "She hides something from us, and I want to get to know her better. We owe her so much," she sighed heavily.

"Hey, don't worry about it Ted," Ryan said seriously. She glanced up at him in surprise. "Just give it time, you're stubborn enough, you'll get through to her," he told her, making her smile slightly.

"He's right. Though it's funny. There's less of you than there were of us, and you're way more chaotic," Teddie's smile grew and she laughed at Jeremy's words.

"You're right," she agreed. "I'm curious how it'll all work out. There's a lot of baggage, and a lot of emotions," she commented.

"You mean like how the Green Ranger has a crush on you?" Teddie paused at Ryan's smirk.

"Huh. Is he that obvious?" she asked, sounding mildly surprised. "And how'd you know? You've never met him," she frowned.

"Heckyl's the jealous type, it would seem," Teddie blushed as Ryan answered her.

"And he's totally going to kill you for ratting him out," Jeremy told Ryan as they watched Teddie's blush grow, chewing her lip to hide her smile.

"Worth it to keep teasing these two idiots," Teddie rolled her eyes as Ryan giggled at his own mischief.

"There's nothing to be jealous about," she said softly. "Though it's nice to know you guys have girl talk when I'm not around," she giggled herself.

"Guy talk!" the two chorused.

"Sure," Teddie nodded slowly, her smile mocking. "Now, can we get some practice in before I have to get back?" she asked the two, who grinned to each other.

* * *

Watching as Scott continued to take advantage of being tied to Dillon to mess with the Black Ranger, Nora took a picture of Scott smirking widely and Dillon glowering at him, having lost at pool thanks to Scott yanking his arm and making him miss his shot.

"Still getting along well, huh?" Ziggy leaned on the railings beside where Nora was perched, watching the two as they set up for another game.

"Like a house on fire," Nora grinned as she continued to snap pictures of the two.

"You'd like that though, wouldn't you?" Ziggy asked, and she lowered her camera to arch an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not resistant to fire, you know. I have to use magic to protect myself from it, I just like it a bit warmer than most," she answered him, and lifted her camera again.

"Why haven't you put them out of their misery yet?" Ziggy continued to ask questions as Nora focused on her shots of the two. "You could easily melt the chains and separate them if you wanted to," he accused, looking at Nora instead of Dillon and Scott. Scott was giggling, continuing to mess with Dillon as he tried to play normally.

"Well, Ziggy," Nora turned and grinned at him. "Where's the fun in that?" she asked him, making his own smile widen. "They've not realised it yet. And Teddie disappeared for a reason, not just to mess with them," the fire witch pointed out.

"To get them to work better together?" Ziggy guessed. "Or..." he trailed off as he glanced back down and saw Dillon smirk very slightly at Scott's behaviour. "To get Dillon to accept he's on our team?" he tried.

"Now you're getting it," Nora nodded, poking his cheek. Her warmth spread into his cheek, making it redden, and she focused on her shot as Ziggy rubbed his cheek, frowning slightly at the reaction he'd had.

"Hey!" Dillon finally noticed the pair, scowling.

"Uh oh, run!" Nora laughed, jumping off the railing, and the two took off as Dillon looked irritated at being watched.

* * *

The alarm blared the next morning, waking the team as their plan finally came into being.

"Why can they never attack at a normal time any more?" Teddie grumbled.

"Yeah, it's like they're _trying_ to destroy the city," Arianna teased her, and Teddie shot her a glower as they followed Summer down the stairs, pulling on their jackets.

"When did you get so sassy?" she complained.

"I've heard it's a Ranger thing," the Mercury Ranger replied, and Flynn and Ziggy joined them as Scott and Dillon groaned from the ground, having tried to jerk in two separate directions and fell.

"We're going out," Summer told them as they stepped over the two fallen Rangers.

"You two better stay here, out of the way," Teddie giggled as she lifted her helmet.

"Hey, you can unlock us!" Dillon called.

"Sorry, can't hear you!" Teddie sang, her helmet on as as she kicked her bike to life. They raced off, and both Scott and Dillon groaned.

* * *

The Lightning Bot walked through the streets, blasting at people with electricity and chasing them away. It then blasted a pylon nearby, causing it to explode as it was overloaded with power.

"Stop!" the Attackbot looked around as the five Rangers arrived, already Morphed. "We have to take that thing down," Summer said to the other four.

"Right, let's take him down," Arianna nodded. However, the Attackbot was fast, and they were blasted off their feet by a powerful bolt of lightning that blew up the ground they were standing on.

"Uh...how do we do that again?" Ziggy whimpered from the ground.

"Carefully?" Teddie suggested as they got back up warily. They braced themselves for another hit as the Attackbot threw out it's arm, but nothing happened. It beeped loudly, and Grinders rushed in. "It has to recharge, come on!" Teddie called on her hammer and they scattered to take them out.

Swinging her hammer, Teddie hit the Grinders swarming her. They landed nearby, jerking and sparking as their destroyed circuitry protruded from their metal armour. She then jumped up onto a small wall as more came at her, and she leapt down, but as she destroyed them as well, she was hit by a blast of electricity nearby.

"Teddie!" Arianna called, seeing the White Ranger land on a small table outside a cafe.

"I'm okay," Teddie groaned, getting back to her feet.

"Flynn, watch out!" Summer shouted to the Blue Ranger as he narrowly avoided an attack. Ziggy managed to strike the Attackbot with his axe, knocked it to the ground, before hesitating as he realised he couldn't damage the circuit board. The Attackbot moved faster than he expected, and the Green Ranger collided with a car, rolling off onto the ground.

* * *

Dr. K sighed as she tried to work, seeing Dillon and Scott pacing and glaring at each other when they tugged on the cuff still keeping them together.

"Dillon, can you please stop pulling on that?" Scott snapped as they watched the fight taking place.

"It's clear that both of you are too heroic to stay here and watch the fight being fought without you," Dr. K finally had enough, turning to them. "Why not just end the suspense and head out there now?" she asked.

"We're a little tied up here Doc," Dillon reminded her, jerking the chain and making Scott stumble.

"Alright, I've had enough," they looked around as Nora stood up, holding out her hand. Her sword appeared, and they both raised their hands to their faces instinctively as she swung down. They felt a yank, before the pressure snapped, and looked down to see the chain severed. "You're welcome. Now go already so I can watch this in peace," she ordered.

"Thought you'd never ask," Scott sighed.

"Why didn't she do that in the first place?" Dillon muttered to the Red Ranger as they went to their cars.

"Torture," Scott grumbled.

"I carry a sword and use fire as a weapon, you really want to go there with me?" Nora called, and the two young men exchanged looks before silently getting into their cards and speeding off. "Wise decision," she snorted, letting her sword disappear.

* * *

Recharged again, the Lightning Bot took down each of the Rangers with well aimed blasts of lightning, and they struggled to try and get back to their feet as the Attackbot and Grinders approached.

"This guy is tougher than he looks," Teddie groaned.

"And he already looks pretty tough," Ziggy reached out for his axe, which was just out of his reach. Hearing engines, the Attackbot looked up as Scott and Dillon arrived, jumping out of their cars. The Grinders attacked, and the other Rangers watched as the two easily took them down.

"Seems someone finally put them out of their misery," Arianna commented as she sat up, seeing the chains dangling from their wrists. They used them as weapons, defeating the Grinders. Once the footsoldiers were down, the Attackbot approached, buzzing, and the two Rangers turned to it.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" Scott and Dillon Morphed, and approached the Attackbot.

"You have something I need," Dillon shouted, and as it ran at them, Scott summoned his Wheel Blaster. Dillon followed suit, activating them and firing blasts to counter the electricity. Working together, the two easily outmatched the Lightning Bot, and with several shots, they destroyed it.

"Looks like they both learned something," Teddie grinned.

"Yeah, that we're going to make you pay after this," Scott told her, and Teddie's smile widened in her entertainment. They looked up as the Attackbot reappeared, growing much larger. The Rangers called on the Zenith Megazord, facing down the Attackbot.

' _Rangers, energy levels are go for wheel blaster_ ,' Dr. K announced.

"Engage Wheel Blaster!"

"Engine Cell Activate!"

"Fire!" with one powerful blast, they destroyed the Attackbot, allowing them to gain access to the circuit board.

* * *

With the circuit board connected, Flynn, Summer and Dr. K worked to try and decipher the code to stop the acceleration program. Dillon paced, agitated, as the others waited nervously for some sign that they would be able to help him.

Teddie drummed on her knees, nervous as all that could be heard was typing and Dillon's heavy footsteps. She watched him silently, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Anything?" Arianna asked as she walked back in, and Scott shook his head silently. She bit her lip, worried, and the silence fell again as Dillon continued pacing wordlessly.

The quiet was shattered as Dillon let out a pained cry, putting his hands to his head. He fell to his knees, and Summer abandoned the computer to go to his side, kneeling beside him. After a moment, his groans faded, and he stood up. As Summer followed, he suddenly lashed out, catching her across the face, and Summer hit the ground.

"Not again!" Scott groaned as Dillon's eyes flashed red.

"Summer, you okay?" Nora crouched beside the Yellow Ranger, whose face was already swelling and bruising as tears lingered in her eyes. Scott and Ziggy grabbed Dillon, who swung his arm out and slammed Ziggy against the glass cases holding their suits. The glass cracked, and Ziggy released his hold as Scott was flipped to the ground. Arianna ducked under Dillon's strike, and she grabbed his arm, trying to hold on as Nora grabbed his other arm. Dillon twisted, kicking Arianna away, and turned his attention to Nora. He swung her, and she would have collided with the glass, but Ziggy jumped between them.

"Ziggy!" she gasped as they sank to the ground, the glass shattered.

"Sorry Doc," Teddie sighed, walking towards Dillon.

"Sorry for what?" she asked, frowning.

"For the floor," Teddie answered before throwing out her hands. Dillon started towards her, only for the ground to shake from under him, and vines broke through the tiled floor, wrapping around his ankles. As he stopped, almost falling, more burst free and wrapped around his arms as well. "Can we get that circuit working _please_?" she called as Dillon ripped an arm free. Another vine wrapped around him in it's place, and he continued struggling.

"I can't! It's all encrypted," Flynn groaned as he continued to try and find out something from the circuit.

"Please tell me you can decipher it! I can't hold him forever!" Teddie pleaded as she continuously replaced the vines, and Scott wrapped his arms around Dillon from behind, making it more awkward for the Black Ranger to break free.

"I can't!" Flynn admitted. "Not without the base code!" he shook his head.

"Base code?" Scott repeated as he was almost flung off the struggling Ranger.

"The original code used to program the Venjix Virus!" Flynn explained, and Dillon managed to knock Scott off, and ripped out of the vines. Teddie cried out as he grabbed her, hauling her into the air by her collar. She struggled, struggling to breathe as Dillon remained expressionless.

"Stop Dillon!" Summer pleaded, managing to get up, but he knocked her back down without even looking at her. His hand went to Teddie's neck, and she struggled, kicking out as she pulled uselessly in his vice-like grip. However, a moment later, he jerked, and dropped Teddie as he let out a yell. The two landed on the ground, with Teddie gasping for breath as Dillon put his hands to his head, lying on his back.

"What happened?" Nora asked carefully as she stayed crouched beside Ziggy. Flynn frowned at the screen, not understanding what he was seeing.

"The virus...it's slowed down to it's normal growth rate," he told them, baffled.

"I thought you said you needed the base code to do that?" Teddie frowned up at him, her hand around her throat.

"I am getting really tired of asking this but..." Dillon groaned as he pushed himself up. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know," Flynn admitted. "I didn't do it," he said.

"I did," everyone whirled around to stare at Dr. K, who was looking down at the ground with a blank expression. She then looked up at them, her expression remaining the same. "I entered the base code and deciphered the acceleration code to stop the rapid growth," she admitted.

"But how?" Arianna asked as she helped Teddie up, all of them badly beaten.

"I know you're a genius, but to know Venjix's base code?" Nora frowned, helping Ziggy to his feet when she couldn't see any blood. He leaned on her, looking as confused as she felt.

"That shouldn't be possible," Summer shook her head slowly. "Only the person who wrote the code would know..." she trailed off as Dr. K's expression didn't change. "No..." her hands went to her mouth.

"Correct, Ranger Yellow. I know the base code for Venjix, because I wrote it," Dr. K's words stunned them all. She didn't hesitated as she looked from each to the other. "I'm the one who created Venjix. All the pain and suffering, all the death and destruction, was because of me," she confessed, and a heavy silence fell over the team.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	17. Embodied

**I know, I'm real bad at the moment for my updates. But I'm working on it!  
**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 17: Embodied

Arianna sighed as she stood in the lab, once again side-lined as she watched the ongoing fight on screen.

' _I_ told _you Ziggy,_ left _on Grand was the fastest way to down town_ ,' Scott was grumbling.

' _Hey, no fair, I didn't know we qualify for the carpool lane_!' Ziggy defended with a whine.

' _Of course we qualify. There's six of us, aren't there_?' Flynn pointed out. Arianna huffed again, drawing her arms in tighter.

' _Aren't you guys forgetting another key point_?' Teddie giggled.

' _Yeah, the one about how we're driving around in a giant, 20 story high robotic super-weapon_ ,' Summer explained, her voice patient but amused.

' _She's right_ ,' Dillon agreed. ' _We qualify for any lane we want_ ,' he smirked as they stepped out from behind a building, cutting off the massive Attackbot's route. It roared, and lifted the nozzle on its arm. Oil spurted out, splattering the roads by the feet of the Zenith Megazord, making them slip.

' _Everybody hang on! Maintain equilibrium_!' Scott ordered as they struggled to stay upright. Arianna watched silently, her silver eyes not moving off the screen. ' _Reduce horizon-line sensitivity_!' they were then hit by a powerful strike as the Attackbot took advantage of their disorientation.

' _It's locking its primary blaster on us_!' Summer warned as she looked up, but it fired before they could dodge. The Rangers cried out as the Megazord was battered by the powerful blasts that made their consoles spark dangerously.

' _Is it too late to call in sick_?' Ziggy cried out.

"I'd happily swap with you, you know!" Arianna replied irritably.

' _Careful Ziggy_!" Teddie laughed, as if unaffected by the battering they were taking. ' _You don't want Arianna's wrath on you_ ,' she warned, still giggling.

' _I'd rather that than Venjix's, which is what is going to happen at this rate_!' Scott groaned as the Megazord split apart. Arianna glanced to Dr. K, who was working silently. She glanced up at Arianna, before going back to her work quickly, making the Mercurian sigh.

"Use the High-Octane and Valvemax Megazords," Arianna suggested.

' _Copy that_ ,' Scott agreed, and they split into the two Megazords. Using their agility, they dodged the attacks sent their way, and finished off the Attackbot with two final moves. Arianna smiled softly, but it faded as she looked at Dr. K again. The girl didn't look up from her work.

* * *

"Now that's what I call 'crumpled'," Crunch cackled as they watched the fight going on.

"There's nothing we can salvage," Shifter grumbled.

"Non-recyclable, non-renewable!" Crunch continued to laugh as Shifter tried to find something they could use.

" _My days of defeat are over_ ," Venjix spoke up, furious. " _I am going to destroy the Power Rangers once and for all_!" the four of his subjects looked around quickly as an Attackbot was lifted from the depths, powerful and much more deadly looking than previous Attackbots.

"What _is_ that?" Shifter asked as Crunch bounced around, still laughing.

" _That_ ," Siren smirked, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Is my idea," she declared as the Attackbot was set down, not moving.

"What's so special about this robot?" Tenaya asked, unimpressed.

" _Well, you'll see_ ," Venjix sounded smug as Siren walked over and connected wires from the tube that housed Venjix's being, into the back of the Attackbot. Energy pulsed around the room, and the bright red light faded from the tube. The eyes of the Attackbot lit up bright red, and its head lifted.

"Ah..." Venjix's voice came from the Attackbot, and it walked down off the podium. "I've downloaded myself into this body so I can destroy the Power Rangers with my own two hands!" he roared.

"Very nice," Tenaya allowed, nodding. "Generation 12?" she asked.

"13," Siren answered as she stepped down as well.

"When are we going to the city to meet the Power Rangers?" Tenaya asked, suddenly interested.

"That's the fun bit," Siren smirked. Tenaya frowned, not understanding.

"We aren't," Venjix clarified. "Plans are already in place for them to come to _me_ ," he announced.

* * *

"Come on, humour me," Summer pouted at Dillon, who was sitting opposite her looking sceptical.

"Forget it. It's never going to work," Dillon refused, not looking at her as she pleaded with him.

"Have you ever been hypnotised?" Summer challenged him.

"How would I know that?" Dillon growled at her. "I have amnesia, remember?" he reminded her, irritable, but she didn't even blink.

"Exactly, so, just give it a shot," she smiled, and he met her gaze. "Just relax," she told him. Dillon sighed.

"Relax?" he repeated. "If I'm going to relax, can we maybe try somewhere a little more _private_?" he looked up with a glare as Ziggy appeared with popcorn.

"No, come on!" the Green Ranger pleaded as he walked down the stairs. "I wanna be here when she makes you act like a chicken!" Summer's smile grew as Dillon rolled his eyes.

"I brought my camera," Nora waved it in the air with a smirk. Scott rolled his eyes at the girl sitting beside her as Ziggy grinned.

"Oh, Dillon wants to have some private time with Summer, huh?" Teddie giggled from her own perch on the railings above them. Summer's face lit up red as she looked away, and Dillon looked up with a dark glare.

"Teddie, the moment you let your guard down, I will be there, you know that, right?" he challenged her, and she giggled as the others hid their laughter.

"That would imply I ever let my guard down," she answered with a sweet smile.

"Come on Dillon, give it a shot," Arianna said as she walked out of the lab with Dr. K. "We need to find out answers, and we're going to need them soon. That virus is still spreading through you, we need-"

"A virus that _she_ created _and_ released," Dillon cut the Mercury Ranger off, his glare directed at the girl beside her.

"Dillon, it was an accident," Summer told him firmly.

"Ziggy spilled his oj this morning," the Green Ranger went red at Dillon outing him. "That was an accident. She ended the world," Dillon continued furiously.

"Enough, Dillon," he whirled around as Teddie seemed to materialise behind him. Any trace of her previous humour was gone. "Drop it," she warned him, and Dillon stared at her. For the first time, he could believe that she had saved the world in the past. But that just confused him more.

"While I'm not denying the factual accuracy of that statement," Dr. K's own expression had darkened. "I do not see how it has any relevance now regarding your decision to cooperate with the proposed regression hypnotherapy in an effort to discover your past," she told Dillon, who opened his mouth to speak. He stopped, distracted, as music filled the air, and he looked down sharply to see Summer holding his pocket watch.

"Dillon, what are you thinking about now?" she asked.

"I'm thinking the little pickpocket is going to be sorry she stole my watch," he aimed a glare at Teddie, knowing her light-fingered skills. The White Ranger met his gaze with a smile, back to normal as she sat down.

"Don't think about the music, just feel it. Let it go," Summer told him quietly, bringing his attention back to her.

"Isn't that a song?" Ziggy whispered to Nora, who shushed him abruptly. Dillon stared at the watch, before shaking his head. He reached out, taking it back from her.

"I'm sorry Summer, but this is never going to..." he trailed off, staring at the watch. None of them spoke, watching him curiously.

 _It was a warm day, the sun high in the clear blue sky. A small breeze blew past as he walked slowly down the street, his hand covering a much smaller one that held onto his arm._

 _"So are you going to tell me? Or keep me in suspense?" the girl by his side asked, huffing and making him smirk._

 _"I haven't decided yet," his words had the desired effect as she huffed again._

 _"Come on, tell me! What's it like?" she pressed, her voice excited._

 _"Big, crowded. Kinda...weird," he described, his gaze not on her, but the bustling crowds around them. "Maybe this was a bad idea, there's a lot of people here," he commented, going to veer in another direction, but a sharp tug made him stop._

 _"Stop being so protective," she scolded. "It'll be fine," she decided. "So let's go," she insisted, and he sighed._

 _"Fine," they kept walking, and his gaze went to the people keeping an eye on the crowd. A tall young man with glasses and fluffy black hair was watching a shorter blonde girl as she chattered incessently. He then moved on quickly, making his way through the crowd._

Dillon jerked, his head lifting as he blinked rapidly.

"Are you okay?" Summer asked gently. Dillon didn't speak, and after a moment, snapped the still open watch closed again.

"I'm fine," he muttered.

"Do you know who you are now?" Ziggy asked him eagerly.

"No," their hopes faded, and he stared at his watch. "Teddie," the White Ranger tilted her head. "Spencer, where did he work before?" Dillon asked, making her frown.

"SPD, we told-"

"No, which city?" Dillon pressed, still not looking up from his watch.

"New Tech City, why?" Teddie asked, baffled by his questions.

"Because I think I'm from there," their eyes widened in shock.

* * *

"I saw something. I don't remember much, it was fuzzy, I only remember bits of it," Dillon was pacing in the garage as he told them of the memory he'd seen. "But I saw Spencer, talking to that blonde girl...the one in pink," he frowned as he explained this.

"That's Syd," Teddie was leaning against Flynn's jeep as the Blue Ranger changed a tyre. "Are you sure you aren't just confusing it from a memory here?" she asked, trying not to get Dillon's hopes up.

"There was a crowd. But they didn't look...human," Dillon explained. "There weren't too many that even looked the same, and it didn't seem like costumes or anything like that. Almost like they were..."

"Aliens?" Ziggy asked, and Dillon frowned at him. "No, really, New Tech City was where most aliens lived if they came to Earth. Pretty much all of them left, when Venjix hit," he explained.

"Almost all of us," Arianna smiled softly, having joined them as well.

"Right, yeah," Dillon had a hard time sometimes, remembering that Arianna was even less human than he was.

"New Tech City was evacuated first, it was the first place Venjix hit," Scott spoke up, looking unhappy about it.

"How do I get there?" Dillon asked low. Scott shook his head.

"You don't," Dr. K answered flatly. "It's too far outside the dome. Besides, what would you possibly hope to find there?" she asked, baffled.

"Answers," Dillon told her, turning and walking away.

"Well, guess I know what we're doing," he stopped as Teddie straightened up, looking cheerful.

"New Tech City, eh?" Ziggy hummed.

"I've always wanted to see it in it's uh," Flynn paused, grinning. "Post-apocalyptic glory," he finished.

"What they're trying to say is you go, we're coming too," Summer told Dillon firmly as the Black Ranger sighed.

"And _if_ we go," Scott sighed as well, looking exasperated. "Then I say we at least go in style, yeah?" he grinned. Dillon didn't answer, but his mouth curved upwards.

"What do you have planned?" Arianna asked curiously.

* * *

"Road trip!" Ziggy cheered loudly, leaning out the window of the large camper van with a bright smile.

"G-goo-goonger?" Flynn tried, frowning at the name written across the side of the van.

"Nope, Go-Onger," Scott corrected as Summer put her travel bag inside. "Project Go-Onger – the Ground Outdoor, Operational Network, General-Purpose Explorational Rover," he receited.

"Go-Onger?" Teddie asked as she brought her back down the stairs. "Sounds like a super hero team," she grinned.

"Yeah, a lame one," Nora laughed as she watched. Dillon smirked as Scott shot her a frown.

"Basically, it's a multi-terrain attack and surveillance vehicle, but it is also my dad's _favourite_ possession in the whole entire world so please please please Flynn, _careful_ behind the wheel," Scott pleaded with the Blue Ranger, who was their best driver.

"I thought this place was supposed to have modern things, that looks like something my dad liked," Scott frowned at the voice, mocking the van. He stuck his head out the window to see the older man looking at the van with an amused look.

"Dad!" Teddie answered the question before Scott could ask it, dropping her bag and throwing herself at him. Xander laughed, catching her easily.

"Hey Ted, Spencer told me you're taking a road trip," he said, and Teddie blushed.

"I was going to tell you..." she mumbled as she let him go.

"When you got back?" Xander guessed, and Teddie's blush grew. "You're way too much like your mother," he chuckled.

"Guys, this is my dad," Teddie introduced him to the team as they emerged from the van curiously. "Scott, Flynn, Summer, Ziggy, Dillon and Doctor K," she gestured, and he raised a hand. His relaxed smile reminded them both of Teddie and Spencer.

"Hey guys. I've heard a lot about you," he told them, and Dillon smirked.

"And we've heard about you," he commented.

"I heard she finally spilled. Took long enough," Xander grinned. Teddie went even redder, before Xander turned to her, turning serious. "Are you sure you want to go out there?" he asked, taking her by surprise.

"What? Of course," Teddie nodded confidently.

"Even with the damage done to the Earth?" she stiffened at Xander's question. "It's faint in here, but it's still there. But to go out there where there's nothing to muffle it?" he asked gently.

"It'll be hard, I know that," Teddie agreed, but shrugged. "But I want to do this. They're my team, dad, I'm not going to stay behind," she told him. Xander sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but take Heckyl with you," Teddie frowned. "He understands, as much as I hate to admit it, and you'll need that. Trust me on that," Xander's own expression was haunted. Teddie glanced around at Scott, who shrugged.

"Hey, if Heckyl's going then I want in!" Nora exclaimed.

"Fine!" Scott threw his arms up. "Get ready," he ordered her and Nora saluted mockingly before rushing off.

"Thanks dad," Teddie smiled softly at Xander, who patted her head. "We'll be careful," she told him, and he snorted.

"Somehow I doubt that. And seriously, this van?" he smirked. Scott rolled his eyes.

"My dad personally oversaw its design and construction," he grumbled.

"Yes, at the Brighton Installation, located two miles beneath the Nevada Desert," everyone looked at Dr. K, confused. "What? I'd recognise their shoddy, second-rate work anywhere," she blushed.

"When was this? 1975?" Summer laughed. Scott turned his glare on her.

"No, this is great, it's kind of like being in a time machine though," Ziggy laughed.

"I had always wondered about older vehicles," Arianna nodded, looking fascinated.

"Look," Scott groaned. "If we want to get to New Tech City, this is our best bet," he told them firmly.

"I'll bring the marshmallows," Dillon decided.

* * *

"My sensors show you're leaving the city perimeter _,_ " Dr. K contacted the group as they drove towards the Gate.

' _Well it's either that, or we're really lost already_ ,' Flynn smirked, making most of the group laugh quietly as Dr. K just frowned.

"Lower the shields, Colonel," Dr. K contacted the man as Spencer leaned against the wall, a frown on his face.

' _Lower shields_ ,' the Colonel sounded just as reluctant as Spencer felt about it, and watched as the shields lowered and the Ranger's signals disappeared out of the dome.

"Depending on atmospheric radiation conditions, we will now be losing all communications. I can try to re-establish periodically," Dr. K told the team.

' _Yes, you told us Doc, thank you_ ," Scott sighed heavily.

"You will also be out of range of the down-morpher. I've equipped the packs on the truck with enough power to form into _one_ Megazord configuration. _Only one_ ," Dr. K stressed.

"So use it wisely?" Summer guessed.

"Correct, you will-" Dr. K stopped as the communication dropped. She sighed, leaning back in her seat.

"It's a long way to New Tech. Was it really a good idea to let them go?" Spencer asked.

"I had no choice," Dr. K confessed, watching as her computer tried to reconnect. "Ranger Black would have gone regardless, and the rest of the team would never have let him go alone," she said softly.

"I guess so," Spencer agreed reluctantly. "I just hope they'll be okay," he commented. Dr. K was silent for a momennt, before letting out another soft sigh.

"Bly?" he hummed, lifting his head as she didn't look at him. "I have a favour to ask," Spencer frowned, wondering just what she had planned now.

* * *

Nobody in the van spoke after losing communication with Dr. K. It was the farthest any of them had been in a long time.

"Look, everyone, please just relax," Scott finally broke the silence.

"Easier said than done," Nora muttered, looking out the window with her legs pulled in close to her. She glanced to Teddie, who hadn't said a word since they'd left. She was purposefully staring at the floor, but she was pale and keeping very close to Heckyl, who looked as happy to be outside of the dome as she did. He was looking outside with a strange expression, and she wondered if she should have come along.

"It's not that much longer until we get to New Tech City," Scott continued, trying not to be put off by the worry in the air. "We're just going to go there, and do what we came to do, right?" he spoke softly, his words soothing the team.

"I'm totally relaxed," Ziggy's voice was strained as he struggled to open a bag. "Why would I be?" he asked, before the bag burst open and showered everyone in crisps, the loud bang making Arianna scream.

" _Ziggy_!" Nora growled, snatching the tattered bag from him.

"I'm sorry!" he yelped.

"As if you wouldn't learn how to open a bag!" Flynn shouted.

"Guys!" Summer's alarmed voice cut through their arguing, and they looked ahead again. Flynn slammed on the breaks as a strange looking robot approached. It was white and bronze in colour, with eerie red eyes that cut through the yellow light of the day.

"Is that what I think it is?" Flynn murmured, staring at it.

"Sure, a killer Venjix Attackbot, ambushing us on the road ahead," Dillon stood, his eyes dark.

"It looks different," Arianna commented nervously, standing as well.

"Let's do this," Scott spoke confidently. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the Rangers Morphed and climbed out of the van.

"On my mark," Scott readied the team.

"Seven brightly coloured nusiances, finally coming to an end," the Attackbot declared.

"He talks. I hate when they talk," Teddie muttered, shifting uneasily.

"And who are you?" Scott called back.

"Just call me the mother of all upgrades!" it decided.

"Now!" the Rangers moved into action, fighting the Attackbot.

"I don't like this," Nora muttered as she and Heckyl watched. "Tenaya and Siren aren't here...and neither are the Grinders," she realised, looking around for any sign of other Attackbots.

"Something's wrong," Heckyl pushed the door open as the Rangers were overwhelmed by the Attackbot. "That thing has something much worse planned if it came alone," he said to Nora, who nodded and lifted her sword.

"Scott!" Flynn yelled as the Red Ranger hit the dirt. The Attackbot then knocked Ziggy off his feet, and swung him by the wrist. The Attackbot then looked up as Nora rushed in with her sword raised. It threw Ziggy into the air and kicked him hard. The Green Ranger collided with the girl, and the two tumbled to the ground as Nora's sword landed with a clatter.

"This thing is so strong," Arianna breathed heavily as she and Teddie stood, running in again. The Attackbot blocked their strikes, and threw out both fists, hitting the two. The force lifted them off their feet and they were tossed through the air. It grunted as blue light collided with its chassis, and turned to Heckyl as he threw out a hand. It dodged, and grabbed his wrist, kicking him and tossing him to the ground. Scott, Flynn, Summer and Teddie moved in together, but their kicks didn't even make the Attackbot flinch, and they hit the ground again.

"Man..." Scott groaned, feeling battered despite the protection of his suit.

"I brought a legion! What did you bring?" it asked, and the Grinders emerged from the fog.

"At least I know we can take these guys," Nora got back to her feet and lifted her sword, swinging it hard. It lodged halfway through a Grinder's body, and as she yanked it free, she cast a spell that sent a wave of flames out from around her.

"What is this guy's deal?" Teddie wondered as she flipped back, kicking a Grinder away. As she landed, she threw out several balls of sun energy, which exploded on contact. The Grinders tipped over, broken beyond repair as she took a deep breath, opening and closing her hands.

"You thought you were so powerful inside your silly little dome!" the Attackbot spoke again, lifting a hand. "And now, you're finished!" it declared. It threw out small devices that latched onto the last of the Grinders as they rushed in, and they stopped attacking, jerking violently. After a moment, they glowed, and started attacking again, much more fiercely than before.

The fight immediately turned against the group, who were knocked around by the suddenly much more aggressive and powerful Grinders. Their attacks bounced off harmlessly, and the Grinders continued their relentless attacks.

"Get down!" Teddie yelled, pushing herself back to her feet as the lights on her helmet flashed. The group hit the ground, and she let out a shout. The pulse of energy exploded out, destroying the Grinders around them. She then sank to the ground, breathing heavily as Heckyl and Nora went to her side. Her suit flickered, and shattered as the others faced the Attackbot, all worn down.

"Hmm..." it hummed, its eyes still glowing a bright red.

"Wait..." Dillon froze. "I know you!" his declaration took them by surprise.

"That's right, Subject D-44," it nodded, sounding amused. "It is I, Venjix!" it announced, making them all freeze in horror. "Nice to see you again," Venjix laughed at their fear. "Prepare to be destroyed!" holding out a hand, Venjix called on a sword. Scott ran to meet it, their swords colliding with a ringing sound in the air. "Yes, I am Venjix, the one immortal me. You should have stayed in your dome, Rangers!" with a powerful strike, Venjix knocked Scott to the ground, his sword flying away.

"Guys, surround it!" Dillon yelled. Venjix just laughed as the Rangers who remained standing surrounded it. They attacked, but Venjix was faster, slashing down Ziggy's front before forcing Dillon to shoot Summer, and the Yellow Ranger screamed as she crashed to the ground.

"Turbo Cannon!" Flynn fired a blast to gain Venjix's attention, and the powerful Attackbot reflected it, blasting Flynn across the battlefield. The Blue Ranger landed heavily, rolling onto his back.

"Jet Fists!" Arianna tried, managing to duck under one strike, but he kicked her and with a slash down, floored the Mercurian. As they all got back up, regrouping, Venjix laughed.

"And now, say goodbye!" with a powerful blast of energy from a spinning disk on it's chest, Venjix blasted the Rangers. They landed heavily, their suits shattering as they lay helpless in front of it.

"Guys!" Teddie pushed herself up, but her legs gave out and Heckyl caught her as Venjix laughed.

"Oh...it was over almost too quickly," it commented. Venjix snapped its fingers, and they heard a jet, looking up to see a drone fly into view.

"Everyone fall back, _move_!" Scott yelled, and the group raced back to the van. They climbed in quickly, with Flynn starting the engine and racing off. He sped down the road, and the van jerked violently as he was forced to veer to avoid the blasts Venjix fired at them.

"Flynn, there's a tunnel up ahead!" Ziggy remembered from the map. "Can you make that?" he asked.

"Aye, if anyone can make it, it'd be me," Flynn replied confidently. They drove into the tunnel, and Venjix was forced to veer away, clipping the edge of the tunnel. Still remaining in the air, the drone flew off.

* * *

"Doctor K? Can you hear me?" Scott repeated for what had felt like the millionth time as he tried to contact Dr. K. Night had fallen, and they were all worn down and beaten.

"While I'm glad we had a first aid kit...we're almost out already," Arianna worried as she wrapped a bandage around Nora's wrist.

"It'll do," Dillon rubbed at the cut across his cheek, and Arianna caught his arm with a frown.

"I just cleaned that. Don't touch it," she ordered, and a faint smile showed on his face at her attitude. "What?" she frowned more at his look.

"For someone so sweet, you got a real bossy side," he told her, and the Mercurian's face lit up. Summer glanced up as Arianna stammered, trying to tell him off and only making his smile widen. An uncomfortable feeling settled in the Yellow Ranger's stomach, overwhelming the fear of their current situation.

"Nothing!" Scott's frustrated yell, followed by his fist thudding against the machine, made everyone look at him. "I can't get through," he growled.

"Well, Venjix is gonna be waiting," Flynn brought up the subject that none of them wanted to address. They were stuck in the tunnel, and as soon as they stepped out, Venjix would be waiting for them.

"Let's not keep him waiting," Dillon went to step to the door, but Scott stopped him.

"Don't," the Red Ranger warned, shaking his head.

"Just remember, we've only got one Zord configuration. That's all," Summer reminded them.

"Yes, and the question is, do we use it now?" Scott asked.

"If we use it now, and take down Venjix, we can't guarantee he won't come back with a stronger force," Arianna argued.

"Yeah, but if we don't," Teddie looked out the window, into the darkness. "We're either trapped here like rats, with no help, or we try and make a run for it," she shrugged.

"And this thing barely made it to the tunnel," Heckyl reminded them.

"I vote that-"

"No," Dillon caught Ziggy's wrist and forced his hand down.

"No voting," he told the Green Ranger, who stared at him. "This isn't a democracy. Sorry, fearless leader, but you're in charge for a reason," Dillon turned to Scott, referring to his nickname, and Scott sighed.

"Dillon's right," he accepted. "This is my call," the Red Ranger agreed, looking thoughtful. "Like Arianna said, we can't guarantee that there won't be more trouble before we get to New Tech City and back. But...without it, we don't even know if we'll make it to New Tech. So," his gaze hardened with determination. "I say we go welcome Venjix into his new body," he decided, and they grinned back at him.

"Now you're talking," Dillon nodded, happy with his answer.

* * *

The sun had just started to rise as the Megazord stood in the Waste, lookng around them.

"Alright everyone, remember. One configuration, and that's it," Scott reminded them.

"Here he comes!" Summer spotted the drone flying towards them.

"I can hear you, little Rangers," Venjix called mockingly. He fired a blast, kicking up a huge wave of dust that surrounded the Megazord, and to his shock, the Zords split apart. Scott's Zord flew into the air, using the Croc Carrier Zord as a ramp, and Ziggy and Summer followed. Summer rammed the Shark Zord, and Ziggy yelped as it started to spun, slamming into the back of Scott's Zord. "Nice try!" Venjix went to blast him, only for Teddie's Zord to slam into the drone. It was knocked off course, and the attack missed.

"Need a boost?" Flynn fired a shot from the ground, hitting Scott's Zord and powering it up. It smashed through the drone, and as it landed, the drone fell from a smoke cloud, only to split apart into multiple drones.

"No way!" Dillon groaned.

"I am Venjix! You seem to be forgetting that," the virus taunted them as they regrouped.

"Come on guys, we gotta keep going!" Teddie encouraged.

"Wait!" Dillon called suddenly. "Anyone hear that?" he asked, making them frown. The noise finally reached the rest of the team, and they looked around to see two other Zords hovering, having appeared from behind a mountain. A helicopter one, designed to look like what seemed like a chicken, and a jet that looked like a tiger.

"No way," the Rangers were stunned at the arrival of the two mysterious Zords.

"Who are these insolent intruders?!" Venjix demanded.

"This day really can't get any weirder," Ziggy determined as they watched the two Zords fly overhead, chasing the drones that separated and flew away.

"No kidding," Teddie agreed.

"Let's do this!" the one piloting the helicopter called. "Fire at will!" he called.

"Now that I can do!" the other pilot shouted back, chasing the rest of the drones and firing multiple Zord smashed through rocks, and fired again, destroying the blasts.

"Get them!" Venjix roared, furious as it got behind the helicopter Zord.

"Proceeding with evasive manouvers," the Zord shot up and curved through the air, stopping behind Venjix. The Attackbot roared furiously, before the drone was destroyed. "Mission complete. You ready to head back?" the pilot, wearing a Gold suit, called to the pilot of the Tiger Jet.

"Sure thing," she nodded, wearing a Silver suit similar to his. "This was a pretty interesting test run," she grinned.

"Wait so...did they just save us...and leave?" Teddie frowned as they watched the two Zords fly off.

"That was so cool," Ziggy breathed in awe.

"Yeah but...who were they?" Flynn asked the question they were all wondering.

* * *

 **I'll _try_ and get the next chapter up soon!**

 **I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	18. Ghosts

**At long last, I'm finally getting motivated to write this again!**

 **This was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 18: Ghosts

Night had fallen, and Scott had made the decision for them to stop and get some rest for the night. Nobody argued, not having slept since they'd left Corinth, thanks to Venjix ambushing them and beating them mercilessly, until the two mysterious Zords appeared. Despite the tension and unease, not to mention the discomfort of sleeping while sitting, most had dropped off to sleep quickly, even Dillon, with Summer's legs pressing lightly against his.

The only one not asleep was Nora, who was standing outside, looking up at the moon. What had once cast a bluish light was now yellow, just like the sky during the day. Idly, she dragged her sword through the sand, drawing patterns without looking.

"Can't sleep?" she looked around sharply as Ziggy closed the door to the van and shivered a little as the cold air of the night hit him.

"Thought you'd be snoring up a storm in there," Nora commented idly, looking back up at the moon. Despite the cold, Ziggy's face warmed at her teasing. "You should get some sleep. Especially after today," Nora told him quietly, not wanting to wake the rest of the team.

"So should you," Ziggy argued. "You stood up to Venjix even without Ranger powers," he commented, and Nora snorted. She looked down at the dirt she was still drawing in. "What's wrong?" he asked, making her frown grow.

"What makes you think there's something wrong?" Nora asked softly.

"Well, we did spend a week out here before. And we do live together," Ziggy reminded her with a raised eyebrow. Nora's mouth twitched upwards at his tone. She looked at him, and immediately looked away at his grin. To her frustration, she felt her cheeks warm, despite the cool air of the night, and her grip on her sword tightened as she cursed herself. Nora was quiet for a moment longer, just enough for Ziggy's confidence to wane and his smile to fade.

"I shouldn't have come out here with you guys," Nora confessed, glaring at the sand. "I'm just in the way," she muttered.

"I'm glad you came with us," Nora looked at Ziggy, her eyes growing wide. "It feels...safe," he shrugged.

"What?" Nora couldn't comprehend what he'd said. "But _you're_ the Power Ranger," she reminded him, skeptical as his smile returned.

"But you saved my butt way more. Even after I became a Ranger," Ziggy pointed out. "I was kinda scared about coming back out here without you. I'm glad you came with us," he told her, and when her eyes met his, he felt himself blush.

"You're so weird," Nora rolled her eyes and turned away. She pushed the blade through the sand, and the pattern she'd been drawing lit up.

"What's that?" Ziggy asked, curious as Nora lifted her sword.

"A spell seal. It'll keep us undetected while we sleep," she explained, and the faintest of smirks became visible on her face. "I used to draw them when you were sleeping. No way you could handle lookout duty," Nora punched his shoulder as she walked past, and he put a hand to where she'd hit him. It didn't hurt, but it tingled, to his confusion. "Come on, let's get some sleep," Nora went quiet as she opened the door.

The two stepped back inside as Flynn snored, and found the only spot to sit, since Scott's legs had stretched out in his uneasy sleep, and with a quick, defeated look at each other, the two sat with their shoulders pressed together.

"Thanks, Ziggy," the Green Ranger looked at Nora as she got comfortable. "You're a good friend," her eyes were closed as she mumbled, and after a moment her head came to rest on his shoulder, making him go rigid. Her breathing was soft, and after noting how quickly she'd fallen asleep, he dared to rest his head against hers, and he drifted off almost as quickly.

"See?" Teddie's voice was soft, but the smugness was clear. "Nothing to worry about," she whispered.

"Ryan and his big mouth have a lot to answer for, when we get back," Heckyl replied in an equally quiet voice, his arms tightening around Teddie as she smirked and pressed in closer to him, her head under his chin.

* * *

It wasn't long into the morning when the ruins of New Tech City came into view. Most of the team made awkward small talk while Ziggy and Flynn bickered over directions.

"Ziggy, seriously," Nora rolled her eyes in exasperation. "We're literally the only ones on the road. Stop trying to make him take side roads," she pleaded as he grumbled.

"The lass is right," Flynn told him. "We've not seen another person on the road in two days," he pointed out.

"And I'd like to think that that is thanks in part to my map reading abilities," Ziggy replied seriously, before hesitating. "And also because the world ended," he mumbled, hiding behind the map.

"Y'think?" Flynn retorted dryly.

"They're like an old married couple," Arianna smiled, and turned to Teddie. Her smile faded as she saw Teddie's pale face. Her dark eyes were glued to the window, staring out at the destroyed buildings. "Teddie?" the Mercury Ranger called her name. Teddie blinked, and turned her attention to her best friend. "Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"I..." Teddie swallowed. "I'm fine," she told Arianna, who wasn't convinced. The Mercurian met Heckyl's eyes, and found he believed it as much as she did.

"Hey guys," before she could press it, Scott spoke up. "This is everything the Go-Onger got on those flying Zord things," he brought their attention to the screen.

"What are those things?" Summer asked curiously.

"They share a resemblance to your own Zords," she looked at Heckyl as he commented. "Perhaps they share a connection to you. It wouldn't be the first time Rangers and Zords have appeared at convenient times," he reminded them.

"Maybe they're ghosts," Flynn commented, shooting the screen a glance as he continued driving. Everyone looked at the Blue Ranger, frowning at his suggestion.

"Ghosts," Ziggy repeated, incredulous. Flynn shrugged. "How can you go from this-" he gestured to the footage of the two flying Zords. "To ghosts?" he demanded. Flynn looked around, and saw most of them smirking. His face burned. "We let this guy drive?" Ziggy demanded to the rest of the team.

"Oh what? Have you got a better explanation then?" Flynn snapped at him, embarrassed.

"I could say _anything_ right now, _anything_ , and it would – not matter what comes out of my mouth – have to be a better explanation than _ghosts_ ," Ziggy retorted.

"It's not normal, okay? It's a giant flying chicken that's shooting laser beams at people!" Flynn defended himself, still bright red as he glared out the window.

"Arianna's right, you two _are_ like an old married couple," Nora laughed.

"How did I ever come to the conclusion that the Power Rangers were the smarter side to be on?" Heckyl wondered aloud. Arianna arched an eyebrow at him, but Teddie didn't even blink; her attention back out the window with a tight grip on Heckyl's hand.

"I'm with Flynn on this, those two are just weird," Summer admitted with a sigh.

"Weird?" Ziggy repeated, dropping the map. "You cruise around in a giant teddy bear, I drive a big green fish. Nora is a witch who can make fire out of nothing, Arianna can turn into liquid metal, and don't even get me started on those two!" he exclaimed, gesturing to Teddie and Heckyl. "Look in the mirror people, we're in no position to be sitting in judgement of anything weird," Ziggy ranted at them. Everyone was quiet.

"Man's got a point," Dillon had been grinning widely in silence the whole time.

"If Dr. K could hear you guys right now," Ziggy huffed, disappearing behind his map again.

"Yeah well, I wish she could," Scott grumbled. "Have you had any luck contacting her on the radio?" he asked Flynn, who shook his head with a sigh.

"No, nothing," Scott slumped back into his seat. "I'll keep trying obviously, some of the buildings down-town might boost the signal," Flynn suggested. They fell back into silence, and Arianna looked to Teddie again, worried about the oddly quiet girl. Teddie didn't even seem to notice.

* * *

"We should turn back," the tense silence that had fallen after growing close to their destination was broken by Dillon speaking up.

"Dillon..." Scott frowned as everyone looked to him, concerned. "Turn back now?" he questioned.

"Something's wrong," the Black Ranger explained the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked out the window. "None of this looks familiar," he warned.

"It will. Just be patient," Summer soothed.

"The SPD base itself should help with that. Everyone knows that landmark," Flynn said as Dillon's brown furrowed more. "It's just up ahead," he added.

"Yep, it's just up here on the right," Ziggy spoke, still staring at the map.

"Left," Teddie spoke for the first time all day.

"What?" Ziggy asked, confused.

"It's on the left, not right," she muttered, staring out the window.

"Right-yes-left, that's what I meant," Ziggy stammered.

"Thank you Mr. Navigator," Flynn grumbled quietly as Ziggy sheepishly put the map down. Flynn made the left, and pulled up in a car park, where they all emerged, relieved to be out of the cramped van.

"I will never forgive you for bringing up ghosts," Ziggy told Flynn as they stepped out into the silent streets, and the Blue Ranger rolled his eyes, going red again.

"Which way?" Dillon asked as they all looked around at the abandoned city. Dust from the crumbling buildings and from all the destruction Venjix had caused floated through the air and turned the sky a dingy yellow colour, blocking out some sun.

"Why are you asking us? They're your memories," Scott reminded. Dillon sighed.

"Just lead the way, it'll come back to you," Summer encouraged him again, and reluctantly the Black Ranger started to walk in a random direction, taking a look around. They all followed, not knowing what to say, and all of them spooked by the eerie silence that filled the once bustling streets. Arianna sighed when they turned a corner, looking up at the massive building that managed to tower over the rest even now.

"I thought Venjix destroyed the SPD base," Scott broke the silence. The building that had been the Earth HQ for SPD was crumbling like the rest, with barely any of the windows that covered it intact. The dog head that had been at the top had multiple holes littered through it, and it was hanging by a thread, swaying in the wind.

"He may as well have," Arianna was the one to answer him as Dillon stared up at it, trying to force himself to remember it. He was sure that if he really had lived here, he would recognise it even slightly. "It was one of the Megazords that the SPD Rangers used. He crippled it and took out the areas that gave it power to do so. Anything else was just to add insult to injury," she gave a delicate shrug of her shoulders, but her hands were shaking.

"It was deliberate," Heckyl stated, and everyone looked to him. His brow furrowed slightly, and he glanced away, a little embarrassed. "This place was home to the protectors of not only this city, but worlds around it. By leaving it standing, but in such condition..."

"It robbed people of hope. It showed them that nobody could stand up to Venjix," Summer realised, and he nodded.

"For a sentient virus, Venjix sure has a vindictive side," Nora hissed.

"There's nothing here," Dillon finally decided, turning back to them.

"Then we split up," Scott ordered. "See if we can find anything that'll help Dillon's memory. Everybody, just stay in contact," they nodded, splitting up into different groups.

* * *

"This place is giving me the creeps," Flynn complained, shivering as the wind blew past. "It was hit way worse than where I was living," he commented.

"SPD was one of the first places that Venjix targeted, and was the most focused. Anywhere that had active Rangers were big targets since Venjix got the Ranger Files, but SPD was the worst," Nora explained as they walked along the streets that she still recognised from her own visits. "This is just so wrong," she kicked a rock out of her way, glowering at the ground. Ziggy reached out to put a hand on her arm, and caught himself, frowning a little, before catching Flynn's eye as the Blue Ranger wondered what he was doing too.

' _Rangers, please come in. You are in danger_ ,' the three looked towards the van in the distance, hearing Dr. K's voice. Exchanging looks, the three sprinted over.

"Dr. K! Flynn, Ziggy and Nora here," Ziggy called as they burst into the van.

"Rangers Blue and Green," the three tried not to roll their eyes at her response. The signal was terrible, and the screen showing her face turned static-y, making her voice hard to understand entirely. "The device planted on Ranger Black's included a download for sense-memory imagery. Do you understand?" she asked, and the three exchanged baffled looks.

"We're gonna go with 'not at all' on that one, Doc," Ziggy answered. Dr. K didn't bother to hide her own exasperation.

"Listen to me very carefully," she said slowly and deliberately. "The chip included the data for false memories. Images, things that would seem like they came from his own experiences," their eyes widened.

"Dillon was right. It's a trap!" Nora groaned, and the three rushed off.

* * *

"We have to go _now_!" Dillon found Summer and Scott, running over to them.

"Dillon, there has to be something - some clue!" Summer protested, desperate to find something that would help Dillon.

"Listen to me," the Black Ranger bit down on his frustration, softening his voice. "I have _never_ been here before. Never," he stressed.

"Dillon!" Ziggy reached the three first. "It's a trap!" he managed to gasp, chest burning.

"The memories aren't real, it was all Venjix," Flynn and Nora reached them as well, breathing heavily.

"Trap?" Dillon muttered as things started to make sense. The air of urgency only heightened when they heard a scream.

"That was Teddie!" Nora realised.

"What now?" Scott growled.

* * *

"Teddie, please!" Arianna pleaded as she struggled with the vines that were starting to wrap around her body. Heckyl was doing the same, as the White Ranger kept her hands to her head. Her entire body was shimmering with green magic.

"I can't!" Teddie shook her head. Tears ran down her face, and she let out a sob, sinking to her knees as grass started to sprout around her and grow out at a rapid pace. "It's too hard!" she cried as trees and plants started to grow around her as well, returning from the dead and growing stronger.

 _"Seriously bro? We come all the way here, and you take us to the park?" Chase laughed, skateboard under his arm._

 _"I like it," Teddie defended, and grinned when Spencer patted her head._

 _"This is why she's my favourite," he told Chase, who rolled his eyes as Teddie stuck out her tongue at her twin brother. "Besides, there's no way I'm getting you two demons clearance to SPD," the Gold Ranger told the two._

 _"Rude," Teddie said. Spencer just grinned, entertaining himself._

 _"It's a great day, and the Commander gave us all the day off," he explained as Teddie gazed around the serene park. There weren't too many people around, and the gentle breeze made it perfectly enjoyable. Part of the young girl wanted to climb a tree and nap, but she was excited to see Spencer again, even if he acted too cool to care sometimes. "Come on, the rest of the team should be around somewhere," he led them on through the park, towards where the rest of the SPD Rangers were enjoying their day._

Reminded of the park she now stood in, Teddie couldn't stop her Earth magic from slipping from her control, desperate to repair the destroyed flora.

"What the hell?" Dillon demanded as the rest of the team reached them.

"Shit, it's her magic!" Nora realised.

"Teddie!" Summer shouted over to the girl.

"Stay back!" Teddie shouted back, not looking up. Summer had already stepped onto the grass, and it immediately shot up, twisting around her legs. Scott caught the Yellow Ranger as she overbalanced, and Dillon ripped the grass off her legs. However, the grass continued to wrap around them, and soon all three were tangled too. Arianna took a breath, and her skin rippled before she transformed into liquid metal, which splashed to the ground as the vines drew back. It then shimmered, and reformed into the girl, who didn't waste any time running over to Teddie.

"You need to focus," she put her hands onto Teddie's shoulders as she pleaded with the girl.

"That's all I _can do_!" Teddie screamed back. "All I can think about is this park! How it used to be! Beautiful and vibrant and _alive_!" she sobbed as Arianna fought with the vines that started to tangle around her ankles as an innate defence for the girl bringing the park back to life.

"What is going on?" Scott called as Flynn and Ziggy tried to pull him free.

"It's like her dad was saying before, about feeling the Earth," Nora explained as she used tiny flames to free Summer, who managed to step back onto the cracked street. "Teddie's being is completely in tune, moreso than her dad, and he's the _Earth Mystic_ ," she shook her head, feeling helpless. "Corinth has managed to sustain its on life, but out here, there's nothing. To return to a place where the destruction was massive, and remember what it was like before? Her magic is bursting out and taking a life of its own. It's essentially a very dangerous panic attack," she explained.

"How do we stop it?" Flynn asked as they finally managed to get Scott free, and started working to get Dillon out as well.

"Teddie has to get control back. She has to focus on here and now," Nora remembered what she'd been told when practising her own control.

"Do you hear what Nora's saying?" Arianna turned back to Teddie.

"I can't. I _can't_ ," she shook her head. Arianna stared at her, struggling to try and get her to focus on her instead. The Mercurian then let out a cry as more vines wrapped around her wrists, pulling her away from Teddie, who couldn't move.

"I said I wouldn't do this, but I suppose there are few other options here," Heckyl sighed, letting his powers spark out and surround the vines keeping him restrained as well. The vines immediately wilted away, and he didn't let up until he reached Teddie. "You of all people know the futility of focusing only on the past," he crouched in front of her and forced her head up. "Open your eyes and focus on us and _why we're here_ ," he ordered, and slowly she opened her eyes, staring up into his blue ones as he refused to let her pull away. "Breathe," he continued to instruct, and Teddie inhaled deeply. Finally the green hue faded around her, and the plant life around them stopped growing, finally freeing Dillon, who toppled over with Flynn, Ziggy and Scott.

"I'm sorry..." Teddie whispered, vision spinning, before she slumped into his arms.

"Teddie!" Arianna rushed back over as Heckyl turned her over. Teddie didn't stir.

"She used a hell of a lot of magic. She's exhausted herself," Nora explained as she looked around.

"I knew she had power but this...this is mental," Flynn looked around the lush green that stood out amongst the rest of the destroyed area.

"It's a little scary," Summer admitted.

"Scary? That was..."

"Totally awesome!" they jumped, all moving into fighting stances when two new voices spoke up.

"Who's there?" Scott shouted, reaching for his Morpher.

"Just..."

"Us," two figures popped out from behind some rubble. "We heard the commotion and..."

"Had to see who came here," the young woman finished the young man's sentence. They were similar in appearance, and wore identical outfits, with excited smiles on their faces.

"You're human," Summer realised.

"Well..."

"Duh," the young man laughed. "What else..."

"Would we be?"

"Okay, that's really annoying," Dillon hissed.

"You look human too, what are..."

"You doing out here?" they asked, and the group remembered their dire situation.

"Shit, we need to go _now_ ," Dillon remembered.

"We gotta get back to the van," Scott nodded.

"What? Why?" Arianna frowned as she and Heckyl walked over, with Teddie still unconscious in his arms.

"It's a trap," Ziggy explained, looking around. "Venjix gave Dillon fake memories to bring us here," he warned.

"Oh, you finally worked it out?" they all looked around to see Siren sitting on part of a building that had collapsed. "Took you long enough. Welcome to New Tech City. Or rather, what _used_ to be that tragic city," she laughed as they glared at her. Her head then turned slightly, acknowledging the two strangers. "Oh, and you've rooted out these rats as well. Ready to return to your camp?" she sneered.

"Can't, we..."

"Blew it up!" the young man laughed.

"You won't be laughing when I'm through with you," Siren snapped her fingers, and Grinders appeared from behind their own hiding places.

"Oh..."

"Are those..."

"The ones that were hiding before?" the two strangers asked, not losing their grins. Siren seemed to tense, before turning to them.

"Damn you-" they exploded, and she was tossed aside with a scream.

" _Boom_!" the two chorused, high-fiving.

"Did...did you two do that?" Ziggy stared at them.

"Yep!" they said together again.

"Twins," Nora muttered, sword resting by her side. "I've heard Teddie and Chase enough to know," she grumbled.

"It doesn't matter who you are! I'll kill you all!" Siren snapped her fingers, and a new Attackbot emerged with a laugh of its own.

"Uh..."

"Oh..." the young woman finished, but neither looked particularly concerned.

"Stand back," Scott ordered the pair, and the rest of the Rangers stepped forwards, raising their Morphers. The twins immediately exchanged looks.

"Are those-"

"Ready?" Scott didn't wait to answer.

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the six Morphed, and ran to face the Attackbot. At the last second, Arianna veered away to face Siren, who blocked her punch.

"What happened to your sweet White Ranger? She seems a lot more of a damsel than usual," Siren mocked, and Arianna forced herself to take a step back and breathe before attacking Siren again, not letting her get into her head. "Too bad. It looks like you could use the manpower," Siren continued as they saw the other Rangers being tossed aside by the Attackbot. On top of its power, they were all tired and worn out from their travels and fights with Venjix. Nora tried to help, but was tossed aside as well, with her sword impaling the ground near her.

"We won't let you win," Arianna vowed. "Jet Fists!" she threw a punch that when Siren blocked, it tossed her back.

"You brat!" Siren pushed up and let out a scream that floored the entire team. "Now!" she ordered, and the Attackbot produced a bomb, throwing it at them.

"No!" they tried to get up to defend themselves.

"I don't think so!" someone leapt over their heads, catching the bomb. Another landed beside him.

"Cute," she said.

"Not really my style," he replied, tossing it back at the Attackbot, allowing it to land between it and Siren. It exploded, throwing the two off their feet to land in a heap.

"Get off me, you useless heap!" Siren snarled, thrashing from under the heavy robot. She managed to wiggle free, and glared up at the Gold and Silver Rangers who stood defensively in front of the rest of the team.

"Are those..."

"Always when they're needed most," Heckyl commented as Teddie finally stirred.

"What's...oh," she stared as well.

"Get them!" Siren ordered, and more Grinders rushed in.

"Oh please," the Silver Ranger sighed, before moving into action with the Gold Ranger. They easily took out the foot-soldiers that rushed them with punches and kicks that tossed the Grinders aside.

"They're good," Summer commented.

"Really good," Ziggy agreed as the Silver one spun on one leg, using the other to take out the Grinders surrounding her. Nearby, the Gold Ranger lifted a Grinder up into the air and tossed it into the rubble. He then deflected another one punching with the back of his hand, and leapt up, spinning and taking out the rest.

"I'm still dreaming. That can't be..." Teddie muttered.

"Can't be?" Arianna repeated, confused.

"They're..."

"Awesome!" the twins were still watching, laughing from where they stood.

"Claw Hatchet On!" the two Rangers then summoned their weapons and ran at the Attackbot as it finally moved into action. Even it was no match for the two, and threw another bomb at them, but they leapt up and avoided the explosion.

"I already said I don't think so!" the Gold Ranger called as they landed in front of it and struck with their shortswords, making it stagger and fall back into the rubble as Siren cursed.

"I'm not done yet!" the Attackbot vowed, and ran off into the dust clouds forming.

"Me neither," Siren warned as she disappeared too.

"Think that's our cue," the Silver Ranger said to the Gold, and they activated their own Morphers. The two flying Zords came into view, and they leapt up, flying off.

"Hey wait a minute!" Flynn shouted up to them. "We just want to talk to you!" he called, but the two had already vanished into the dust. The Rangers then demorphed, still looking up.

"Why do they keep doing that? I mean, talk about antisocial," Ziggy complained.

"What about these two?" Nora asked as they turned to the twins, who rushed over to them.

"You're the..."

"RPM Rangers!" Teddie arched an eyebrow at the two strangers. "You work..."

"For Dr. K?" the young woman asked, smiling even wider than before.

"Well, I wouldn't say we work for-ow!" Ziggy yelped when Nora slapped the back of his head.

"How do you know Dr. K?" Summer asked, and the twins exchanged looks.

"Can you..."

"Take us to her?" the young man asked.

"Great. Like the camper wasn't cramped before," Nora grumbled.

"Sure. I mean, it's safer than being out here," Scott shrugged. "Ted, you okay now?" he asked, turning to the White Ranger. She looked even more beaten than them, but managed a smile and a nod.

"Yeah. I'm...really sorry about before," she apologised, guilt swirling in her stomach as she thought about how much she'd lost control.

"Why are you..."

"Sorry? That was..."

" _Awesome_!" the twins chorused. Teddie frowned at the pair.

"Yeah...who are you?" she asked.

"That's Gemma!" the young man pointed to his sister.

"And that's Gem!" Gemma pointed back.

"Why are you out here in the first place?" Summer asked them curiously.

"Blowing up..."

"Grinders, of course!" Gemma finished.

"Of course," Dillon said dryly, rolling his eyes. Summer couldn't help but smile in entertainment.

"Come on. We need to go before that Attackbot comes back," Scott warned, leading the way back to the van. They all started to clamber inside, looking forward to getting back.

"Don't worry," Summer spoke up when she saw Dillon lingering in the doorway, staring out at the abandoned city. "We'll help you find the answers," she vowed. Dillon shook his head.

"You guys are the answer," he said honestly. "I'm just...looking for the question," the Black Ranger sighed as he got in and closed the door. They pulled out and started the drive out of the city, not seeing Siren and her Attackbot watching them go.

* * *

It was a quiet and somewhat awkward journey back to Corinth, as Gem and Gemma chattered almost incessantly about what they planned to do next with Grinders, and how they were excited to see Dr. K again. Scott watched them, a little wary, while Summer slept, leaning against Dillon after a bump had knocked her off balance. Not that he seemed to mind.

Nora yawned, but shook her head to force herself to stay awake. After finding out that they'd been lured out into a trap, she was on edge, and knew she would be till they got back to the city. Hearing a rustle, she looked up to see Ziggy struggling with another bag, and sighed.

"Seriously?" she grumbled. Flynn glanced over too, and groaned.

"This has got disaster written all over it," he grumbled as he tried to balance keeping an eye out on the road, and try and protect himself from the inevitable. A moment later, the back exploded open, and showered Flynn in crisps. At the same time, an explosion at the back of the van jerked everyone around, with most falling to the floor.

"Okay, that time, it wasn't me!" Ziggy shouted his defence as the van veered wildly, with Flynn unable to control it. The back of the van was in tatters, smoking dangerously.

"Everybody who can, Morph now! Ready?" Scott shouted.

"Ready!"

"No, I'm not ready!" Flynn shrieked from the front. "What are you talking about?!" he demanded. Nora grabbed his Morpher from his jacket, shoving it into his hands.

"Take it!" she shouted.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the team Morphed, and helped the others as they leapt through the door of the van. They landed in a heap, rolling along, and Scott looked up to see the van hurtling towards a cliff.

"My dad's van!" he cried in horror, watching as it fell from the cliff and exploded.

"Whoa!" Gem and Gemma said together as they saw the huge explosion.

"Ow..." Nora groaned as Flynn rolled off her.

"You alright lass?" he asked, having grabbed her somewhat roughly to help get her out of the van.

"Better than the van," she sighed as Scott groaned.

"Ah, so glad you could join us," the group looked up as Venjix, along with Siren and the Attackbot, approached.

"You'll regret it!" Scott warned as he got back to his feet. They all got to their feet, approaching the three.

"And you were so close to home too," Venjix taunted, not threatened in the slightest by the team. "You'll never see the inside of your precious dome again," he vowed.

"Does it look like we're running?" Scott shouted back.

"You'll wish you'd been given the chance," Siren laughed.

"The wasteland is _my_ domain," Venjix continued.

"Not for much longer," Teddie warned, and the rest of the Rangers nodded.

"RPM Enforcer!" they combined their weapons into the large blaster, but Venjix was fast, using his sword to throw a blast of energy that slammed into the Rangers. They all cried out, thrown apart as their Enforcer clattered uselessly to the ground.

"Guys!" Nora called as they pushed themselves up. She wanted to help, but without a Ranger suit, an attack like that would do serious damage, if not kill her.

"Pathetic," Venjix held out a hand, and generated glowing red lights that wrapped around each Ranger. "Now," he ordered as they struggled on the ground. The Attackbot approached, holding out another bomb, only for flames to surround the Attackbot, destroying the bomb and making it flail. "What?" Venjix snarled, before Heckyl's powers wrapped around his sword and tossed it aside, before he then blasted them off their feet.

"Get out of here!" Teddie shouted as Nora and Heckyl defended them.

"Not without you!" Nora shook her head.

"You are no match for me!" Venjix roared, only for blasts to slam into them from above. The Gold and Silver Rangers leapt from their Zords and landed in front of the Rangers as Venjix growled.

"They're back!"

"Not a moment too soon," Flynn couldn't help but laugh.

"Grinders!" Venjix called on the foot-soldiers, who rushed into view. "Attack!" he ordered.

"Claw Hatchet On!" the Gold and Silver Rangers summoned their weapons. Using them with ease, the two easily cut through the robots attacking them. As the Silver Ranger kicked one back and spun, slashing through more that took its place, the Gold Ranger ran through a line that were coming towards him.

"Slash Mode!" he called, and two long swings produced bright attacks that exploded and destroyed even more.

"Ice Mode!" the Silver Ranger took her turn, freezing anything directly in front of them. "Not bad," she commented, punching one and knocking it into the others so they all shattered.

"These two are _mine_ ," Venjix snarled when Siren took a step forwards. He lifted his sword, approaching them. "You may beat my Grinders, but you're no match for the Mighty Venjix!" he declared. "Fire!" he swung his sword, but the two new Rangers deflected it easily with their own weapons, sending it into a pile of rubble.

"Energy mode!" they leapt into the air, activating another mode of their weapons that channelled their Gold and Silver energy, sending it as an attack towards Venjix. With a roar, he blocked it with his sword and knocked it away.

"What are you waiting for? Go help Venjix!" Siren snapped at the Attackbot, who ran at the two with a shout. The two Rangers didn't hesitate, turning their focus to it instead. "Master Venjix, let the Dynabot finish the job," she requested.

"This time," Venjix chuckled, and the two retreated, disappearing into the dust storm.

"They have some real power," Nora commented as she tried to pull the restraints from Teddie, who was watching the two strangers intently.

"They're awesome," Gem laughed, and Gemma nodded as they tried to help Scott with his own restraints. The Attackbot fell, rolling along the ground.

"Not bad," Gold said to Silver as she landed beside him.

"Gee, thanks," she snorted. It got back to its feet, grabbing another bomb. "Oh, he's not giving up just yet," she commented.

"Jet Mode!" they shouted together as they activated the other ability on their weapon. The two then flew through the air, dodging the explosions around them as the Dynabot continued to through explosives at them.

"Let's end this!" the Gold Ranger shouted as they circled back around past each other, and rushed the Attackbot, cutting through it before skidding to a stop.

"Engine Cell, Activate!" they called together as they turned their Claw Hatchets into blasters.

"Skyship laser!" the blasters beeped as they lit up, and they fired the attacks, destroying the monster in one final attack. "Nice!" they high-fived, and the rest of the Rangers were finally freed as their restraints shattered from the distance Venjix had put between them.

"Wait!" Scott shouted, but Teddie beat them all to the pair. Her actions took everyone by surprise, especially the two newcomers, when she suddenly shoved the Gold Ranger back. He took a step back from the force.

"Teddie! What are you doing?" Arianna gasped as the two new Rangers laughed.

"Seriously?" Teddie folded her arms.

"What gave us away?" they demorphed, revealing Spencer and Annie still laughing.

"Wh...what?!" Scott shouted.

"Are you kidding me?" Dillon put a hand to his helmet.

"No way," Arianna's jaw was hanging open.

"How? When? Why?" Flynn spluttered as the two exchanged entertained grins.

"How about we explain on the way back? It looks like you could use a lift back to Corinth," Annie teased, and Scott glanced to the cliff-side.

"Oh man...my dad is not gonna be happy..." he groaned.

"And maybe you guys could explain how you left as a group of 9 and came back as a group of 11?" Spencer asked, looking to Gem and Gemma.

* * *

"So in order to help us get to New Tech City and back, and also improve our firepower, Dr. K had made two new Morphers for you guys?" Ziggy summed up what Annie and Spencer had told them on the return to Corinth.

"Pretty much," Annie nodded.

"That's amazing. You guys really saved our butts," Arianna admitted.

"It's what we do," Spencer gave a shrug, trying to look modest. Annie rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "So, how do you two know about Dr. K?" he asked Gem and Gemma, who grinned as they walked through the garage.

"Well..." Gemma started, before the doors to the lab slid open and Dr. K walked out. She stopped in the doorway, her eyes filling with tears.

"Gem...Gemma..." she said in a shaky voice, quieter and softer than the team had ever heard. She ran over to the pair, who met her in a tight hug.

"Huh..." Teddie tilted her head, hand on her shoulder. "That's different," she considered as their normally icy mentor sobbed at her reunion with her two friends.

* * *

 **This brain baby has been in my head for so long, I hope you like it!**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	19. Force From The Future

Chapter 19: Force From The Future

Stepping out of his room, Dillon ran a hand through his hair, never having appreciated a shower as much. At least, not that he could remember.

"Teddie!" Spencer's shout reached him as the doors to the lab opened, and the Black Ranger leaned on the railings, watching as Teddie rushed out of the lab, holding Kiana in her arms as both laughed loudly. "Get back here! Stop using my goddaughter as protection!" Spencer followed the two, which made Kiana squeal with excitement.

"Hurry Teddie!" she shouted with a delighted laugh.

"Man..." Dillon shook his head. "This place gets louder every day," he commented.

"What is going on?" Summer asked, looking up from her book as Teddie leapt over the sofa.

"It's time for training," Spencer answered as he stopped by the Yellow Ranger. "And to get out of sparring with me, this demon has kidnapped a child to hide behind," he said, but was smiling as Teddie hid behind Heckyl as he stood watching from the kitchen, stopping what he was doing to blink rapidly at the two giggling. "Teddie, hurry up and face the music," the new Gold Ranger called to her.

"Yeah, we want to see you get put on your butt already," Flynn and Scott were standing in the entrance to the lab, grinning.

"Not a chance!" Teddie denied, and stuck her tongue out at her brother. Kiana mimicked her.

"Which of you is the child again?" Heckyl asked, moving to avoid being their shield, but Teddie clung to his back, and Kiana grabbed his jacket with her own tiny hand.

"Please stop teaching my kid bad habits," Annie requested, joining the Red and Blue Rangers to watch the antics taking place. "It's getting hard to explain to her babysitter," she sighed.

"Heckyl, I'd move if I were you," Spencer warned as he shed his new jacket.

"I've been trying. She's rather attached," Heckyl shrugged.

"You're supposed to be on my side," Teddie complained, but still didn't let go, continuing to hide behind him.

"You're using not only me, but the child to avoid sparring with your brother," Heckyl pointed out. "I see no reason why I need to step in on your account," he shrugged, and Spencer suddenly lunged forwards. Both Teddie and Kiana squealed, and took off as Spencer chased after them.

"I hope you've all said goodbye to the peace we had around here before," Flynn commented as he took a sip of the smoothie he'd managed to make without being disturbed from it.

"We had peace around here before?" Nora snorted.

"Hey," they all looked up as Dillon walked down the stairs. "How about you take me on instead?" he offered Spencer as he stood on the other side of Flynn's jeep to Teddie and Kiana. Spencer blinked rapidly at the smirking Black Ranger, before adjusting his glasses. He grinned back, eyes seeming to flash.

"Now that sounds like a challenge," the Gold Ranger nodded. "After you," he gestured to the lab, and Dillon's grin widened as he walked into the lab and past the three waiting. As soon as Spencer followed him inside, everyone else abandoned what they were doing and rushed to watch.

"Now this I've gotta see," Annie chuckled as she folded her arms. Dr. K just rolled her eyes and kept working, but Gem and Gemma, who had quickly announced that they'd be helping as her assistants - considering they were almost as smart as she was, it was a welcome addition, even if the twins were a little on the strange side.

Dillon cracked his neck as he faced Spencer, who watched him with sharp green eyes for a moment longer, before moving into a fighting stance. Dillon frowned a little, before doing the same, and noticed the sharpness intensify behind his opponent's gaze.

"This is gonna be interesting," Teddie giggled quietly. Annie took Kiana back, who was watching with fascination.

"Maybe I shouldn't subject Kiana to this," she considered, a little concerned. When Dillon suddenly moved, their attention was drawn back to the fight as Spencer knocked Dillon's punch off course with the back of his hand, and planted his elbow in the Black Ranger's ribs. Dillon stumbled back, a hand to his chest as he caught the breath that had been knocked from his lungs.

"Not bad," he allowed with a short nod. Spencer gave an innocent smile that reminded him strongly of Teddie, before he rushed in quickly. Dillon dodged as his enhanced reflexes allowed him to react fast, and he threw a punch of his own that caught Spencer and made him stumble back. However, he recovered faster than the Black Ranger expected, moving his body and lifting his leg to kick out at Dillon.

"Anyone wanna take bets?" Ziggy asked eagerly.

"Dillon has totally got this," Scott said, arms folded as he grinned.

"He does have a bit of an unfair advantage," Flynn agreed. Even Summer looked doubtful that Spencer could take him, even now he was a Ranger with them.

"That's putting it lightly," Nora snorted.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Teddie grinned, and Annie nodded. Dillon swung a punch, and this time Spencer caught it, making his opponent grit his teeth. "Uh oh," Teddie then giggled.

"This'll be fun," Annie said as she and Teddie both took a step back. Dillon swung his other fist, and Spencer caught it too, starting a grappling match. At first, Spencer started to slide backwards at Dillon's greater strength, before he suddenly grinned. Dillon's eyes widened as his strength was suddenly turned against him, and he was swung away, straight into Ziggy and Scott, and the three fell to the ground with loud yelps.

"Never try a grappling match with a bull," Spencer smiled again, fixing his glasses, as Annie and Teddie howled with laughter. Kiana cheered, clapping with excitement, and Spencer gave an exaggerated bow to their audience.

"Noted," Dillon couldn't help but laugh as he got back to his feet. "Nice," he clapped his hand to Spencer's.

"Nice?! You almost flattened us!" Scott complained as both he and Ziggy got to their feet at a slower speed.

"Again!" Kiana's laugh earned their attention, as she clapped.

"Maybe later," Spencer grinned, running a hand through his hair. "I could use some proper training," he said, eyes landing on Teddie. Immediately her laughter died.

"Nope!" she turned to run, and slammed straight into Heckyl. "No!" she wailed as he caught her arms to stop her from escaping. "Traitor," Teddie glowered up at him as he smirked back at her.

"I have to earn points with your brother somehow," he answered. Spencer smirked. "And I'd rather not be the one facing someone trained by Minos," Heckyl added.

"It's been a few years since he kicked your butt dude, you gotta stop being scared of him sometime," Annie laughed.

"As the only one who's been on the receiving end of his ire," Heckyl arched an eyebrow at her. "I really don't," he stated, making Teddie giggle. He sighed.

"Alright, alright," he blinked rapidly as Kiana was suddenly dumped into his arms. "Just to show you that Spencer isn't as great as he thinks," Annie cracked her knuckles as a devious grin spread across her face. Instantly Spencer paled.

"You know, I think I'll pass on training for the day," he raised his hands in defence as the rest of the team stared, wondering why he had suddenly changed his tune. He took a step back as Annie moved past them, approaching him slowly. "Annie, no, please-" there was a cry and a thud, and the others winced as Spencer groaned on the ground.

"Holy mother..." Flynn put a hand to his head.

"Spencer...I think you dented the floor," Arianna had her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Ziggy squeaked, and Annie winked to them.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Scott asked, laughing a little. Summer elbowed him.

"Nope. There's only one person I'm passing that on to," Annie smirked.

"Please let Kia be gentler than this monster," Spencer didn't move from the ground. "I've asked you to stop doing that," he reminded her.

"Relax Spence," Annie laughed as she stood over him, not losing her mischievous look. "I only did it to show these guys who was consistently better than you in the academy," she said as the rest of the RPM team giggled. Dr. K rolled her eyes as Gem and Gemma clapped as well, impressed by the move.

"Are you sure that you're not more closely related to Annie?" Heckyl asked Teddie as Kiana put her hands on his face, watching him with fascination.

"Mum always did say that the reason dad and Ari always got on the way they did because they're similar," Annie shrugged.

"That'd be their childish aspect," Spencer grumbled as he finally peeled himself off the ground and lifted his fallen glasses. Annie leveled a glare at him. "You know, I'll just go back down there..." Spencer slowly lowered himself back to the ground.

"I'd agree, but I've already gone against Teddie once-"

"Twice," Teddie corrected.

"So I don't think it'd be wise," Heckyl continued with a roll of his eyes, and Kiana giggled.

"Smart man," Annie nodded, turning to him. She arched an eyebrow when she saw Kiana with her hands still on his temples. "I'd be careful of that. She's getting good with reading people, even with the gloves on," she warned, before tilting her head. "Though she does seem kinda taken by you," she considered, making his brow furrow as he drew his head back to escape the young empath's powers.

"It's cute," Arianna teased. He frowned at her, not liking her tone as his skin started to flush. Kiana giggled.

"Don't go there," Teddie growled, before the alarm started to blare and brought an end to the happy atmosphere.

"Let's get out there," Scott called as they rushed off, leaving Nora and Heckyl with Kiana. Looking at the toddler, Heckyl then turned to Nora and held her out to the young woman.

"Not a chance," Nora snorted, walking away. Heckyl scowled after her, until Kiana patted his head.

"It's 'kay," she smiled innocently at him. "Teddie is 'kay," she told him. Hearing a laugh from Nora, Heckyl's face reddened.

* * *

The guard on the ground struggled to breathe as Siren pressed her boot to his chest, smirking as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Hurry it up," she called to the Attackbot, who had jammed a metal prong into the generator that was sparking. It nodded, continuing to drain the generators of their electricity. It was blasted, knocked off its feet, and Siren sighed.

"Typical. So _punctual_ ," she said, turning to the Rangers as they stood in the entrance to the warehouse. She removed her boot from the guard, and he inhaled sharply before rolling over and staggering to his feet. Siren turned to him, raising her blaster, only for a ball of golden energy to slam into her hand, knocking it away.

"That's unnecessary," Teddie warned as Annie pulled the man to safety. Siren bit down on her lip angrily.

"Grinders!" she snapped her fingers, calling on the cluster of robots that rushed the Rangers. "You keep working," she ordered the Attackbot as it got back up, and she ran to join the Grinders. She threw a punch at Arianna, only for Annie to intercept.

"Hey, I don't believe we've been introduced," the blonde smiled at her, before a strange smell reached Siren's senses. Annie punched her, and there was crack of thunder behind it as it connected. Siren cried out as electricity jumped from her fist, through Siren, and bounced through nearby Grinders. She slammed into a wall hard enough to crack it, and sank to the ground twitching.

"Annabelle Carson, formerly the Silver SPD Ranger," Siren spat out as she got back to her feet. Her head turned slightly to see Spencer fighting as well. "And Spencer Bly, we meet again," he turned his head, and winked to her, before tossing a Grinder at the ones running at Ziggy.

"Did..." Siren turned her head back to Annie, right before the Silver Ranger's fist slammed into the wall beside her head. "Did you _seriously_ just call me that?" thunder boomed overhead.

"Wh-" Siren didn't move, mouth hanging slightly open at the show of violence from the young woman. Her fists then clenched. "Get away from me!" she let out a powerful scream that knocked Annie off her feet, and she landed several feet away.

"Oh, now you're in for it," Annie was back up and running at Siren, who was forced to go on the defensive.

"What's with her?" Dillon asked, arching an eyebrow as they all saw Annie bombarding the Attackbot with punches and kicks. Spencer sighed.

"There's a reason we don't call Annie by her full name," he explained. Teddie grinned.

"Now Siren's in for it," she laughed.

"We need to stop that Attackbot, before it drains this entire sector of its electricity," Scott warned as he spotted the robot draining the generator. "Come on!" he shouted, and they nodded. After delivering a kick that floored Siren, Annie sneered and returned to her team. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the team Morphed.

"I'll take out the Attackbot," Summer called as the others fought off the Grinders. "Zip Charger!" she called on her weapon, and fired a small but potent blast at the Attackbot. It whirled around and knocked the attack aside, turning to her while keeping the prong jammed into the generator. It blocked her attacks when she got in close, and shoved her back.

"Whoa," Scott caught her as the Yellow Ranger stumbled.

"Thanks," Summer nodded to him. "He's tough," she warned.

"We're tougher," Scott reminded her, and the two ran at the Attackbot again. However, they slowed, stopping, when a strange grey vortex seemed to appear behind the robot. They frowned, confused. "What is that?" Scott asked as even the Attackbot and Siren glanced around in confusion.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Arianna asked as she slammed her fist into one of the Grinders and knocked it aside. Spencer and Annie both stopped, eyes widening. Teddie did the same.

"Wait, I've seen that thing before!" she exclaimed. A moment later, there was a bright flash, and a feminine figure appeared, wearing a silver and navy Ranger suit.

"Is that..."

"That's SPD Nova!" Spencer exclaimed as she looked around and focused her attention on the Attackbot.

"You there! Cease what you are doing, or you're under arrest!" she warned. It glanced to her, before turning to Siren as she started laughing.

"Who are you supposed to be?" she asked. The new Ranger turned to her, putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm SPD Nova Ranger! I'm here on a mission, but I'm happy to take a break to put a stop to criminals," she declared.

"I like her," Teddie grinned, despite the confusion.

"Nova..." Siren mumbled as she processed the name. "SPD Nova, who showed up in the year 2028 to-"

"Ah!" Nova put her hands to the sides of her helmets. "Spoilers! That hasn't happened for me yet!" she shook her head, sounding panicked.

"Destroy her!" Siren shouted to the Attackbot, who finally pulled the prong free. Nova reacted fast, considering her distraction, and dodged the attack with ease. The Attackbot lashed out with the electrified weapon again, and Nova gave a small laugh.

"Electro Mode!" she caught the metal weapon as she activated her Morpher. The current in the weapon seemed to reverse, and the Attackbot thrashed as it was electricuted instead. However, after a moment, there was a small outburst from her Morpher, making her cry out and let go, stumbling back as her Morpher smoked. Immediately the Attackbot slumped. "No, no!" Nova yelped as she studied her Morpher intently.

"Little brat!" Siren shouted, and she looked up in surprise. Siren's wrist was caught by Spencer, and she yanked away immediately.

"It's not polite to hit someone when they aren't giving you their attention," he told her, standing between the two.

"Wait...no!" Nova put her hands to her helmet. "It can't be..." she whispered.

"Damn you," Siren snarled, and kicked the Attackbot. Immediately it surged back to life, straightening up. "This isn't over," she warned, blasting the ground and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"They always say that," Ziggy commented, and they powered down, turning to Nova.

"You're the Nova Ranger. What are you doing here?" Annie asked as the other Ranger remained in her Ranger suit.

"I, um...that is to say..." she gulped, taking a step back, a hand to her Morpher. She then gave a nervous laugh. "Bye!" she ran off.

"Hey, stop!" Scott shouted, but the girl was gone before they could get close.

"That was weird," Flynn commented.

"No kidding," Scott agreed.

* * *

"That's impossible," Dr. K said immediately when the team explained what they'd seen. "Another Ranger? The SPD Rangers lost their powers when Venjix attacked," she shook her head.

"Not all of us," they turned to Annie when she spoke. Kiana was clinging to her leg. "We had another Ranger. Sam, the Omega Ranger, from the future," she explained, her hand on Kiana's head. "Spark...Sam came from another future, not unlike this one, to save us. Not that it helped much," she gave a wry smile.

"But this one called herself Nova?" Summer asked.

"The Nova Ranger appeared in the final battle against Omni and Grumm," Spencer explained, fingers touching his head as he thought about it. "She had come to find Sam and bring him back to their new future. I don't know why she'd ended up here," he chewed on his thumbnail, thinking about it.

"I believe finding her would be the most logical way of explaining that," Dr. K suggested.

"She did just run off instead of using a portal," Annie nodded, agreeing with the doctor.

"A Ranger from the future. Now I really have heard everything," Dillon muttered.

"Come on. If Venjix finds out that she has tech that lets her travel through time, then we have some major problems to deal with," Scott warned. The others nodded, and they hurried off to search through town while Dr. K started one on her computer.

* * *

Arianna and Teddie wandered the warehouses in the district where they'd last seen the Nova Ranger, looking for any sign of her.

"I wonder why she came here," Arianna wondered aloud.

"Maybe she doesn't have an exact time for when to find the Omega Ranger?" Teddie suggested with a shrug. "I just don't get why she ran away from us," she said, looking to her friend. "She seemed a little...scared of us?" she guessed.

"I thought so too. I wonder why," Arianna sighed. The two continued walking, searching everywhere possible. "I don't think she's here, maybe-" Teddie hushed her suddenly, head turning slightly. Arianna immediately fell quiet, wondering what she'd heard. Teddie was still for a moment, before gesturing to Arianna to follow her. The two crept into one of the warehouses, and after a moment, the Mercurian heard scuffling.

"They're going to kill me for this, they really are," they heard a worried voice. "I told them I would do great on this mission and stay safe. Well, as safe as a Ranger can be, considering it's a pretty dangerous job. And really, how safe can they expect me to be? Ash told me about how safe _they_ were..." the rambling continued as the two approached, and peeked out from behind a machine. Nova was young, seeming a little younger than them, and was fiddling with her Morpher and a screwdriver. Almost immediately, Arianna gasped, and the Nova Ranger lifted the blaster beside her, aiming it at the two, before dropping it just as quickly. "Oh no," the blonde teenager with bright bluish-green eyes gulped as she looked at Teddie and Arianna.

"Well...I guess that's why she ran..." Teddie straightened up and slowly approached the girl, who stared up with wide eyes.

"H-hi...Teddie..." she offered a nervous smile as Teddie crouched in front of her.

"Hey, Kiana," the White Ranger laughed back.

* * *

Kiana shuffled her feet, staring at the floor, while the RPM Rangers looked from her, to the toddler clinging to Annie, watching her future self with a look of fascination.

"Well this explains some things, and leaves a lot more questions," Annie commented, arms folded.

"First it was my parents when they were our age, now this," Spencer had a hand to his face, sighing heavily. Teddie frowned at him. "I'll explain later," he told her quietly.

"So...you're her," Dillon gestured to the younger Kiana. "From the future," he summed up.

"That's right," she nodded, finally looking up at the team. "I'm trying to find our Omega Ranger, Sam, who travelled back in time to stop the SPD Rangers from being destroyed right after I was born," she explained, offering a small smile. "He must succeeded, because our future changed. But this...this is wrong," Kiana's smile fell, and she shook her head.

"What do you mean, wrong?" Spencer asked, brow furrowing.

"You were always the SPD Rangers. Never part of another team," Kiana admitted, thinking about it. Spencer frowned even deeper at her words. "Maybe something Sam did or said influenced the change, but if that's the case, I'd remember it, like I faintly remember what our world was like _before_ he changed it. Or maybe something I do was the catalyst, since it hasn't happened for me yet. Or maybe-"

"Great. She rambles like Bridge," Annie shook her head, but was smiling despite Kiana's words. Her daughter looked up in surprise, and her face coloured red.

"Sorry, I get lost in my thoughts sometimes," she apologised.

"So Spence and Annie shouldn't have become RPM Rangers?" Teddie asked, tilting her head.

"Neither should you," Kiana shook her head, folding her arms and thinking about it. "Honestly, I've never even heard of an RPM team. You should have only been the Dino Charge and Ninja Steel Ranger," she considered.

"Ninja what?" Teddie asked, brow furrowing. Kiana paused, and looked up.

"Ninja Steel..." she said slowly. "Ryne, she...she told me...after you lost your Dino Charge powers, you went to Summer Cove and became the Green Ninja Steel Ranger," she saw Teddie's blank expression.

"Ryne?"

"The Green Ranger?"

"Oh!" Kiana put her hands to her mouth. "That's it!" she looked at her Morpher. "You've done something different to what dad told me you'd do," she said to it. She then looked up, a sweet, innocent smile on her face that she hadn't inherited from her mother. "I think while time-jumping, I got pulled along a split and into this timeline instead. And I have a slight problem," she held up her wrist. "Fighting that monster damaged the tech I used to travel through time so..." she laughed nervously.

"You're stuck," Summer realised.

"I'm stuck," Kiana confirmed. "I should be able to fix it, but it'll take time," she shrugged.

"Oh! We..."

"Can help!" Gem and Gemma volunteered eagerly. Kiana turned to the pair, who looked excited at the idea.

"I would be interested to see this technology for myself," Dr. K admitted.

"That'd be amazing!" Kiana exclaimed happily. She rushed over to join them, and the others looked to each other, baffled.

"That was a lot of information to take in," Flynn had a hand to his head, looking baffled. "Anyone else get what she was talking about?" he asked them, but most looked as confused as he did.

"From what I can tell, she's from an alternate timeline to our own, a future where Venjix never appeared," they turned to Annie as she thought about it.

"I see Bridge speak works for Kiana speak too," Spencer chuckled. The toddler looked up at him curiously. Annie shrugged.

"It's a gift," she said with a smile. "But yeah, she's from the future of another timeline. One where we don't become the RPM Rangers-"

"And Teddie becomes the Green Ranger," Ziggy shot the girl a suspicious stare. She shrugged.

"Hey, it was my dad's colour before you," she defended, sticking out her tongue. Kiana giggled as she looked up. "But who's this Ryne she mentioned? How would she know and tell Kiana?" Teddie wondered.

"Ryne is a name from my planet," Heckyl spoke idly, watching Kiana as she chattered with Gem and Gemma, who seemed to love how much she rambled on. Realising that they'd fallen quiet, he glanced back to the team to see a mixture of responses, including Teddie's bright red face and Spencer's hand over his face as Annie's shoulder shook with repressed laughter. Summer and Arianna were trying to hide their smiles, as Flynn. Nora and Scott grinned widely. Even Dillon was smirking, while Ziggy looked a little confused. It took him longer than he cared to admit to realise why. "Oh..." he muttered, face starting to burn.

"Well this is now my favourite day," Annie's laughter finally escaped. It ended up as abruptly when the alarm went off, and the younger Kiana gasped, clinging to her mother.

"Make sure that Attackbot doesn't escape again. With that much electricity stored, it could do some real damage," Dr. K warned as they hurried to the door of the lab.

"No kidding," Scott rolled his eyes.

"Um! Can I come too?" Kiana called after them. "Please? I really want to help you," she pleaded when they exchanged looks.

"What if it fries your tech again?" Summer asked.

"I think my Electro Mode mixed with the power it stole from your city was the reason for that. If I don't use it, I'll be fine," Kiana said, more confidently than she felt. The Rangers turned to Scott, waiting on his decision.

"The more power the better against Venjix," he shrugged, making her face light up in a smile. "Come on, let's go," Scott called, and they hurried to stop the Attackbot.

* * *

"Honestly," Siren complained as she kicked a Grinder out of her way, pacing as the Attackbot drained another generator. "Those damn Rangers just keep popping up. Surely Venjix could deem it worthy of coming up with a solution to exterminate them? Instead of just blaming us," she hissed to herself. "Hurry it up! I'm not in the mood to deal with..." she trailed off as she heard engines headed straight for them. "Never mind. Stop them!" she snapped at the Grinders, who rushed out to face the Rangers.

"Good luck with that!" Dillon scoffed as he knocked the first Grinder away. Siren let out a low growl.

"Hurry up!" she snapped at the Attackbot, who jumped at her raised voice.

"In a rush to go somewhere?" Kiana asked as she reached the two, tilting her head.

"Little brat, get out of my way!" Siren snarled at her.

"Nope!" Kiana just gave a goofy smile, before she was surrounded by the Grinders. "Let's see..." she pulled off one of her leather gloves, and waved it in front of her. Siren watched suspiciously, but when nothing happened, she snapped her fingers. Kiana didn't lose her goofy smile as she sidestepped without looking away from Siren, and the Grinder stumbled as it missed. She continued to dodge, seeing what each of the Grinders was doing before they did anything, reading the patterns in the air.

"How?!" Siren demanded, before her jaw set. "Of course. The former SPD Red Ranger," she realised.

"You really do have the Ranger files in your head," Kiana laughed, before kicking one of the Grinders at Siren. The Attackbot knocked it aside, and Kiana spared her another look before finishing off the Grinders around her.

"Let's end this!" Scott shouted.

"Right!" the others nodded, standing with him.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the team Morphed, and immediately turned on the Attackbot.

' _Rangers, don't let that metal touch you. Even your suits can't withstand that much electricity_ ,' Dr. K warned over the communication link.

"Thanks for the heads up," Scott muttered as the Attackbot drew the prong from the generator and faced them as it sparked dangerously.

"What now Rangers?" Siren called to them as they took a step back. "Where's your bravado gone? Too scared in case you get a shock from the robot?" she taunted.

"Nitro Blasters!"

"Claw Hatchets!" they fired attacks from their weapons, but when they got close, jolts of electricity cut through the blasts.

"That's not good," Flynn gulped. Annie gave a low chuckle, taking a step forwards. Siren's smirk instantly fell as Kiana giggled.

"This'll be fun," she whispered, bouncing on the spot as Annie approached the Attackbot.

"Annie, what are you doing?" Scott asked, not liking how close she was getting.

"Don't worry. Our suits might not handle the electricity..." Annie was suddenly in front of the Attackbot. "But I can!" she grabbed hold of the prong so quickly that even Siren let out a startled shout. However, it didn't seem to bother Annie at all as the electricity travelled down her arm and bounced around her suit. "Power of Thunder!" the sparks travelled to her free hand, and she slammed her fist into the Attackbot. The power surged out, and the robot was slammed against the wall so hard it cracked.

"She's good," Dillon chuckled.

"Let's end this!" Scott called.

"Road Blaster!" as they combined their weapons, Spencer and Annie raised their Claw Hatchets.

"Engine Cell, Activate!"

"Skyship Laser!" the Gold and Silver Rangers called as they took aim.

"Nova Morpher, Light-Beam mode!" Kiana activated another mode on her Morpher. "Fire!"

"Fire!"

"Fire!" the different attacks combined as they shot at the Attackbot, and the explosion blew Siren off her feet. When she recovered enough to look up, she saw that her Attackbot had been destroyed, and with a curse, she ran off.

"That was some real firepower. It's great having some new team-mates," Arianna smiled.

"That's for sure," Flynn agreed.

"Not forgetting what Annie just did," Ziggy spoke up, a little scared of their Silver Ranger. She chuckled.

"It's just Ninja powers dude," she gave a shrug.

"It's stuff like that that makes me wish I was a Thunder Ninja," Kiana laughed, bouncing a little on the spot. Annie frowned.

"You're not?" she asked. Kiana just laughed again, giving a vague shrug. Annie huffed. "Well that's just mean," she complained.

* * *

"Damn, did this kid inherit anything from me?" Annie complained as Kiana worked with the three geniuses to fix her Morpher. She looked at the younger version, who was sitting on Teddie's knee playing with the White Ranger.

"Her looks?" Spencer asked, earning a glower. "I hope she didn't inherit those," he giggled, and she slapped his arm.

"Just you wait till you and Kendall have a kid. I will take great delight when they turn out to be more like her," Annie told him, and his face warmed at the idea. "Hopefully it inherits her brains," she smirked as he laughed nervously.

"I've been meaning to ask. Is it really safe for a kid to be running round here?" Scott asked as he looked over to her.

"Don't worry, she's not moving in here," Annie shook her head. "You'll be able to reach me anytime, but my agreement with Dr. K in becoming a Ranger again was that I stay at home with my family," she explained. "She'll be around now and again, but considering..." she glanced over to where Kiana pulled away from Teddie and climbed up onto Heckyl. "I don't think she'll be underfoot at any time," she chuckled.

"Heckyl has a really interesting aura," they looked up at Kiana, who was blushing and looking at her feet. "Same as..." she stopped.

"Ryne?" Annie finished.

"Please stop," Teddie put her face in her hands.

"How did...oh, her name," Kiana bit her lip. "We fixed my Morpher, so I'm going to continue on and find Sam," she said, reattaching it to her wrist.

"It was..."

"Totally cool!" Gem and Gemma high-fived.

"The technology there was very interesting," Dr. K admitted, standing with the pair. "I wouldn't have minded some more time studying it," she said.

"Sorry, Dr. K," Kiana apologised. "But I need to find Sam and get back to our own time to make sure everything is okay," she explained.

"Understandable. You saved, or uh..." Spencer frowned. "Will save our butts. That's confusing," he muttered to himself.

"Don't give spoilers!" Kiana put her hands to her ears, before Annie suddenly hugged her.

"Good to see you're as weird as I expected. Stay safe," Annie smiled at her, and Kiana smiled brightly back at her.

"I'll stay as safe as you do," she replied.

"I'd try harder than that," Spencer snorted, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

"That's what Asher said too," Kiana giggled. "It was awesome getting to fight with you guys. Sam will never believe this!" she stepped back before they could ask what she meant. "Bye guys! I know you'll kick Venjix's butt and reclaim Earth!" she waved, and pressed the button on her Morpher. The grey portal appeared beside her, and Kiana Morphed before disappearing through it.

"You know, I was absolutely right about it not being peaceful around here anymore," Flynn broke the quiet that fell once the portal had faded.

"And I still maintain that we never had peace to begin with," Nora shook her head. "Now you," she elbowed Ziggy as he laughed. "Training, come on," she stood up.

"Do I have to?" he whined.

"Would you rather fight Spencer?" she offered with a dangerous smile. Ziggy paled instantly.

"You know, I think I'm good," he said quickly. "And for the record, I would also like to avoid fighting Annie. I saw that dent she made when Siren called her by her full name," he gulped, and Annie blushed.

"Shut up before I do the same to you," she warned, and he quickly ran off with a yelp.

"I see you don't treat all Green Rangers the same," Spencer smirked, and earned a glare. "You know, I think I'll go see how they're doing," he followed.

"You've got to teach me how to do that," Summer told her.

* * *

 **This was a fun one to write! Kiana was originally going to hang around for a while, but I decided it wasn't right. So it was just a brief visit with some new names mentioned ;)**

 **Anyways, I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	20. In or Out

Chapter 20: In or Out

Yawning widely as she walked into the garage, Annie was busy tying her hair up into a ponytail as the others gathered around, wondering what was going on.

"Anyone know what this is all about?" Dillon asked as he fixed his hair, which was standing on end. Ziggy yawned widely, looking ready to fall asleep on the sofa.

"Not a clue," Teddie said, fixing her jacket. "Only that it was urgent and had to cut my run short," she complained.

"Feel lucky, I was leaving you in my dust," Scott smirked.

"Were not!"

"Ranger Series Operators," Dr. K spoke up, ending the bickering before it started. They gathered around curiously, with Teddie sticking her tongue out at their leader until Spencer bumped his fist against her head. "As you all know, I've recently learned that my dear friends, Gem and Gemma, the original test operators of the Ranger Program Series hardware, survived the destruction of the Alphabet Soup Research Facility and escaped," the two waved to the team with bright smiles. "They have been in the Wasteland waging a brutal and merciless campaign against Venjix," she explained.

"We like to shoot first and..."

"Ask questions later!" the two made explosion noises, and the team exchanged wary looks. Even Dr. K looked troubled.

* * *

"Ah!" Shifter sighed as the four leaders of Venjix' army broke through a weak spot in the defence of the shield.

"So what do humans need to live?" Tenaya asked as she led the way inside.

"Food?"

"Water maybe?"

"Air," Siren spoke up, sounding annoyed as Tenaya rolled her eyes.

"Thank you," she threw her hands up in annoyance. "I don't know why I bother including you two at all," the human-like Attackbot glared at Shifter and Crunch.

"Air?" Crunch asked, confused.

"Ah! Oxygen, of course!" Shifter laughed.

"Wait, that was my next guess!" Crunch complained.

"Any reason to bring the geniuses along?" Siren asked as she kept pace with Tenaya. She shrugged.

"For fun," she answered. Siren shook her head.

* * *

Back at the Garage, the Rangers were still wondering why Dr. K had called them all in. She cleared her throat, looking a little reluctant.

"After taking some time to adjust to being in Corinth, and myself adjusting to them being...alive," she started, her tone just as reluctant. The twins exchanged bright smiles. "Gem and Gemma have confronted me with the possibility that in an effort to protect myself from future emotional trauma, I may have treated some of you with a degree of forced emotional detachment, perhaps even bordering on coldness," she explained.

" _Bordering_ on coldness, you say?" Flynn was struggling to contain himself as Summer and Scott both smiled widely in their entertainment. Teddie snorted.

"I've not noticed anything, Doc," she shrugged, and Arianna elbowed her.

"That's ridiculous, Doctor," Summer nodded.

"You must be imagining it," Dillon agreed, as dry as the other two. Arianna shot them glares.

"No, no, I'm afraid it's true," Dr. K said, their sarcasm going completely over her head. Spencer put a hand to his face as Annie faced away, shoulders shaking with barely repressed laughter. "My insistence on referring to each of you by your colour series instead of your real names is a perfect example. And so, as your mentor-"

"Mentor? How can you be our mentor?" Ziggy interrupted, earning a glare. "Aren't we all older than you?" he asked, gesturing to the rest of the team.

"You know, it's kind of impressive," Annie said to him.

"What is?" he asked, confused.

"How the literal first thing you say this morning has you sticking your foot in in," she answered, and he went red.

" _As your mentor_ ," Dr. K continued irritably, and the two focused again. Teddie giggled. "In an effort to make my feelings clear in an official capacity, I have the following announcement," the girl declared.

"'Official capacity'?" Arianna repeated, confused as Dr. K looked to the twins for encouragement.

"She sounds like Sky once Syd loosened him up," Annie muttered to Spencer, who snorted before he could stop himself. Scott then jumped as Dr. K suddenly rushed towards him, barely reaching his shoulder.

"Ranger Series Red, I greatly admire your honour, integrity, decision-making ability and...unusual hair," she announced. Teddie had her face in her hands at this point, shaking with as much repressed laughter as Annie. Scott gave a weak smile, trying not to look insulted at her comment about his hair. "I feel lucky to have you as the leader of my team, Scott," Dr. K continued.

"Well..." Scott cleared his throat, unsure how to react. "Thank you, Doctor," he nodded, and as he lifted his arms in a shrug, she suddenly hugged him. "Whoa-what are you doing?" he asked, frozen up.

"Teddie, hold it together," Arianna whispered, seeing the tears of laughter from her best friend.

"I don't think I can," the White Ranger managed to say back. Dr. K let go just as abruptly, and moved onto Summer. The Yellow Ranger, who was sitting, was at eye-level with her, and was silent, looking a little scared.

"Ranger Series Yellow, as one of the only other females of the group, I want you to know that my feelings of fondness for you are so strong they override even my base biological instincts to undermine and sabotage you in an effort to monopolise the attention of the males," Summer had started to smile, but it was gone in an instant. Annie was clutching onto Spencer's shoulder for support. "Thank you, Summer," Dr. K nodded.

"Sure...Doctor...the feeling's mutual- _I think_ ," her voice rose in pitch when Dr. K hugged her abruptly. She then let go, and Dr. K turned to Flynn.

"Ranger Series Blue," she started as Summer glanced to the others, seeing Dillon's head turned as he smirked. She rolled her eyes. Flynn on the other hand, was looking around for someone to help him. "Your passion, optimism and delightfully musical, though often incomprehensible, accent are what make you the glue of the Rangers, Flynn," Flynn gave a nervous laugh, still looking to the others.

"Happy to help out and what _not_ ," once again Dr. K went in for a surprise hug. "Okay..." he whispered. Scott bit his lip to stop himself from laughing when Flynn shot him a pleading look.

"Ranger Series Mercury," Arianna let out a squeak when Dr. K turned to her next. Teddie stopped leaning on her, still struggling to compose herself. "Your kindness and determination to always help those in need is admirable," Arianna smiled softly at her. "And your ability to manipulate your own biological composition to a liquid metal is fascinating, Arianna," she added.

"Th-thank you?" Arianna tried, a little confused, before jumping as Dr. K hugged her next. She slowly patted the girl's shoulder.

"Ranger Series White," Dr. K moved onto Teddie, who sniffed and wiped her eyes quickly. Arianna breathed a sigh of relief, scooting away from the Doctor. "While you often use your prior experience to disobey orders, your courage makes you quite clearly the heart of this team, Teddie," Dr. K told her.

"No-" Teddie tried, but Dr. K was quick, hugging her. Teddie sighed, and accepted it, before Dr. K let go and moved on.

"Ranger Series Black," she turned to Dillon, who tried to escape, only for Flynn to block his path with a pleasant smile. Scott joined in on the giggles as Dillon reluctantly turned back, shooting Flynn a dark glare that had no effect. "Even though you are clearly psychologically unstable," the others choked on their laughter as Teddie and Annie started their laughter all over again. "And here against your will as part of a work-release agreement, I still consider you a true hero, Dillon," she hugged him as the Black Ranger remained immobile. His dark eyes then moved above, and he saw Nora sitting on the railings, camera in hand.

"You too, Ranger Series Green," Dr. K said briefly to Ziggy as he opened his arms for a hug. "Spencer, Annie, I haven't gotten to know you well yet, but I look forward to it," she smiled to the new Gold and Silver Rangers, who were both very relieved to not get a hug. "You all are the only family I've ever known. I love you all very much," with that, she turned and rushed back to her lab, with Gem and Gemma following happily.

"Well that was certainly awkward," Summer broke the silence.

"Can we please just pretend that didn't happen and go back to work now?" Flynn requested.

"Gladly," Dillon said, eyes on Nora still. "Give it over Nora," he called, making them all look up at her.

"Never going to happen, _Dillon_ ," she smirked at him, waving her camera in the air.

"Why'd she ignore me?" Ziggy complained loudly.

"Well you did say she wasn't our mentor because she was younger than us," Teddie shrugged.

"You _laughed_ though that entire thing and she still said nice things!" Ziggy argued. Teddie just shrugged, before the alarm suddenly went off.

"We've got a shield breach," Scott warned as they all gathered around again to look at the screen. "It's an inverse vector," he frowned.

"The oxygen regeneration plant at Gate 43," Spencer realised. "That's not good."

"Let's get out there," Summer called, grabbing her helmet and hurrying to her bike.

"What about my real name? Ziggy. Zigg- _y_ ," the Green Ranger didn't move, still upset.

"Come on, Ranger Operator Series Green," Dillon grabbed his arm roughly and dragged him away. "It's playtime. And Nora, this isn't over," he called up to her. She just smiled and took another picture, making him glare as he forced Ziggy over to his car. Nora chuckled to herself, going through the photos she'd taken.

"These are definitely being kept," she muttered.

* * *

Crunch was cackling to himself as the four destroyed one of the machines, ripping out cables and destroying anything that might still work.

"That should be more than enough damage to do the trick," Tenaya smirked.

"Ah! In your face Shifter!" Crunch ripped out a pipe and angled it at Shifter as it spewed gas everywhere.

"Stop that!" Shifter shouted as Crunch screamed with laughter. He ripped out another pipe, and the two started attacking each other with them.

"Fun, you said?" Siren asked as Tenaya rolled her eyes.

"I said _enough_!" Tenaya snapped at the two. "We need to pull out before-"

"Before the Rangers get here?" Scott finished for her. Instantly her visor dropped, and they looked around at the Rangers as all but Spencer and Annie arrived.

"Sure. Something like that," Tenaya snapped her fingers. "Grinders!" the robots emerged, beeping and whirling as they ran at the Rangers.

Summer collided with one of the furnaces in the room, trying to defend herself from Crunch and Shifter.

"Get down!" she heard, and dropped to the ground immediately as Teddie rushed in, a white aura surrounding her. Letting out a shout, she let the shock-wave burst out, and both Shifter and Crunch shrieked as they were tossed back.

"Energy Blast!" Summer followed up with her own attack, hitting them. "Where are Spencer and Annie?" she called to the White Ranger.

"No clue. I thought they were behind me," Teddie shrugged. When a powerful wind started to pick up, they looked around to see the fan in overdrive, spinning at a rapid pace and sucking in anything nearby.

"Grab onto something!" Scott shouted as Arianna punched Siren out of the way. They all latched onto anything they could grab.

"Energy levels are down!" Summer warned.

"Good to know!" Ziggy yelped as he clung to a metal pillar.

"Our weight seems to be an advantage," Shifter laughed as Siren remained behind him, avoiding the winds with a smirk. Grinders unfortunate enough to not be holding onto anything were sucked into the fan, destroyed in an instant.

"No more dieting for me!" Crunch giggled.

"Everyone hang on!" Scott shouted as his fingers slipped.

"Is that the best advice you have for us right now, fearless leader?" Dillon demanded.

"Yeah, it's kinda lame!" Teddie shouted as she used magic to wrap around her wrists and keep her secure.

"It doesn't seem right, destroying the Rangers with their own city's recycled oxygen," Tenaya considered as the four stood out of range, watching. Tenaya then smirked. "But I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway. What can I say? I''m just rotten to the core," she laughed quietly to herself as she amped up the power. The Rangers struggled to hold on as the winds got more intense.

"I'm slipping!" Summer cried out as one hand came free.

"Summer!" Dillon turned and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into him. "You're not going anywhere," he vowed.

"Whoa!" Ziggy yelped as his grip finally failed.

"Ziggy!" Dillon shouted as he was pulled towards the fans.

"No!" Teddie cast another spell, and a vine burst from the ground, wrapping around his waist and pulling against the winds.

"Anyone bet that Green would be first to go?" Siren laughed.

"One down, six to go," Tenaya smirked.

"You forgot about us!" Spencer and Annie leapt into view from behind the machines. With one powerful slash, Annie destroyed the machine, and the winds died down instantly. Ziggy yelped as he crashed to the ground, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Until next time, Rangers," Tenaya warned, and they ran off, with Crunch still laughing.

"I don't think so!" Annie and Spencer took off after them.

"Wait!" Scott shouted, before a beeping noise echoed as the Colonel contacted them.

' _Rangers, the enemy is bugging out. Fall back to Gamma Perimeter_ ,' the Colonel ordered.

"Roger that, Colonel. Understood," Summer responded.

"But my brother..." Teddie hesitated.

"Spencer! Annie!" Scott ran off after the two, ignoring their calls to stop. "Wait!" he reached them, blocking their way. "Wait! We need to pull back and reinforce our defences," he warned them as they stopped, frowning.

"But they clearly have other motives!" Annie argued.

"We need to stop them, now," Spencer agreed.

"No!" Scott denied with a shake of his head. "We stay within the dome, defend the city. That's the plan," he ordered, and the two stopped, not replying as they turned and stalked off.

* * *

"Colonel, with all due respect," Spencer started, pushing his glasses back up as the Rangers, as well as Dr. K and Gem and Gemma, stood in the Command Centre. "Why pull us back? We could have taken out at least some of Venjix's main leaders and done him some real damage," he pointed out. Annie nodded in agreement.

"We've detected movement of massive Venjix troops and hardware outside the dome," the Colonel explained as he stood and approached them.

"Oh! We should go out there and..."

"Kick some Venjix butt, oh yeah!" Gem and Gemma cheered.

"No!" Colonel Truman barked at them. "First off, you two are not Rangers. You are civilians. You cannot leave the dome, especially not to fight Venjix troops," he ordered as they visibly wilted. "Second, it is obvious that a major attack on the city is imminent. We need to divert all power to the shield, seal out the enemy," he decided.

"Sure that sounds..."

"Like a super plan!"

"Want to hear..."

"Our plan?" Gem and Gemma seemed undeterred, turning to a screen.

"This outpost is three klicks from the main gate. If we have the Rangers go out there,"

"They can blow it up!" the two started making explosion noises again. Sky, leaning against the wall, frowned at the two in confusion.

"Gee...you make it sound so easy," Colonel Truman said mockingly. "Hicks, give them the damage report," he ordered.

"Yessir. The damage to the oxygen regeneration plant is extensive. We'll be living only on the air in the dome for the next 30 days until we can rebuild it," the younger man explained.

"And that's why we can't afford to let it get hit again," Colonel Truman explained. Annie frowned, before Bridge approached, having been listening in, and whispered in her ear. She frowned, and nudged Spencer. "That's why I'm going to charge up the dome's shield beyond its current energy limits," he explained.

"Sir, what if that's what they want us to do?" he frowned, glancing to Annie. "They targeted the oxygen plant on purpose. What if that, plus the troops outside, is to get us to..." she glanced to her husband.

"Turtle up?" he finished, tilting his head. "We've been on the defensive for a while now. They know that an attack like that would get us to dig in even harder," Bridge pointed out.

"Then all they've succeeded in doing is shutting themselves out indefinitely," the man replied.

"Colonel, I admit your plan is solid, but I have to agree with them," they looked to Sky as he finally spoke up. "Bridge is usually the most perceptive when it comes to figuring these things out, and his suggestion makes sense. Why force us to do this if it means that they just can't get in for a month?" he asked.

"Where's that outpost again?" Spencer asked as the Colonel frowned.

"Right..."

"Here!" Gem pointed on the map.

"Let's check it out," he said to Annie.

"Once I've overcharged the shield, I won't be able to lower it to let you two back in," he warned as Annie glanced to Bridge, who smiled and squeezed her hand before letting go.

"We'll figure it out," Spencer shrugged.

"What were you saying about me disobeying orders?" Teddie asked Dr. K, who shot her a glare.

"He's your brother. You're as bad as each other," she replied, and despite her worry, Teddie smiled slightly.

"Dad...maybe they have a point," Scott spoke up in agreement. "Maybe if _we_ start launching some offensive attacks, like Gem and Gemma were doing out in the Wasteland," the two waved excitedly. "Then we can-"

"And put the last human city left on this Earth at risk?" his dad cut him off angrily. "What are you two trying to do, exactly?" he demanded of Spencer and Annie.

"We're trying to protect the last human city left on this Earth by defeating Venjix," Annie answered simply, making his face darken. "Why? What's your plan, Colonel?" she asked with a sweet smile, and the two disappeared out. Furious, the Colonel didn't speak, turning away.

* * *

"I just don't get why she won't call me by my name. Or say nice things like she did about the rest of the team," Ziggy complained as he sat with Nora, who was going through her pictures.

"Maybe it's because you keep saying stupid things to her," she suggested. "You made a big deal about her being a girl when she first showed her face. And then you said she wasn't the team's mentor, because she's younger than you all," she pointed out, making the Green Ranger flush.

"Well she is..." he muttered.

"Doesn't make her less qualified to be your mentor. She is the one who builds all your tech and keeps you guys fighting," Nora pointed out, and looked up at him. "Just be, y'know, nice to her. And patient. Maybe then she'll accept you," she suggested.

"That's what Teddie said about you," Ziggy sighed, and jumped as she punched his arm lightly.

"And haven't I started being nicer to you? I'm teaching you to fight, remember?" Nora pointed out. "Why's it matter so much to you any ways?" she asked, finally looking at him properly. He shrugged, meeting her gaze, and Nora fought the treacherous blush that started to grow across her cheeks.

"Everyone else gets called by their names and treated nicer. She still treats me with..."

"Contempt?" Nora finished.

"Exactly! I just want to be...you know...included I guess," he shrugged, looking away awkwardly.

"You know she included you in what she said, right?" Nora reminded him, watching him with a curious look. He was all bravado and fake confidence – when not surrounded by Venjix Attackbots – but now she was seeing a glimpse of his real feelings. "About being a family she loves?" she said, and Ziggy perked up a little.

"I guess..." he agreed.

"Then just be patient, idiot. She'll let you in eventually," Nora said, a little more gently this time. Ziggy nodded, and his grin returned. He watched as she rolled her eyes and turned away, missing her blush.

"Thanks," he leaned against her without thinking, and Nora stiffened at his contact.

"Y-yeah," she muttered, trying to stay calm.

"Hey Nora? Would you mind training with me?" Arianna asked, and Ziggy straightened up quickly.

"Sure," Nora rushed off quickly, following Arianna away.

"Well well," Ziggy looked up as Flynn approached. He was smiling in a way that meant trouble. "I thought I'd seen something before. You _like_ Nora," he accused, and Ziggy's face went bright red.

"W-what? Don't be crazy," he rolled his eyes and stood, turning to walk away.

"Oh, you've got it bad lad," Flynn laughed, following him. "At least it's better than Teddie. You have a chance with this one," he teased, and Ziggy felt his stomach flip at the words. He frowned, wondering how accurate Flynn's words might just be.

* * *

"Why can't..."

"We go out too?" Gemma finished for her brother as they followed Dr. K into the lab.

"Because," Dr. K turned to them. "Spencer and Annie are protected by their suits and have years of training to fight. It's safer for you to direct them from here," she pointed out.

"That sounds..."

"Really boring," Gem shrugged. "But we'll stay this time..."

"For you," Gemma smiled, and the two hugged her, making her sigh. She tried not to brush them off, a little embarassed by their affections.

"Ah, Scott, Summer, Teddie," she looked up as the three were looking at her computer.

"Hey Doc, come check this out," Dr. K frowned a little, but approached to see what they were studying. "Now, here's the movement of the Venjix troops we've been tracking," Scott gestured to the massive group of red dots on the map outside the dome. "And here's the outpost that Spencer and Annie went to hit," he pointed.

"There's a line, here," Teddie spoke up, pointing to a part between the two areas. "What is it? It seems to run under the city," she commented as Dr. K frowned, studying it as well.

"It's a prehistoric underground riverbed. It only shows up on the geological survey maps," she explained.

"Venjix could never get troops into the city through there," Summer pointed out. The others nodded, before realisation dawned on Scott's face.

"Wait, what if he's not trying to get troops _in_?" he asked, and Dr. K looked up at him sharply. "What if they're trying to take something out?" he looked between the three standing with him.

"There's the ulterior motive Spence and Annie were worried about," Teddie murmured.

* * *

Colonel Truman and Hicks stood at one of the entrances to the city, waiting to close them entirely and overcharge the shields. As Hicks went to give the order, he looked around as the roar of an engine reached them.

"Dad, dad!" Scott shouted as he leapt from his car. Teddie pulled up beside, yanking her helmet off and leaving it on her bike. "Wait, stop, wait! You can't do this!" Scott pleaded as they ran up to the Colonel.

"Not now son," he tried to dismiss him, but Scott stood in front of him.

"No, you don't understand!" Scott pleaded with him.

"This is Venjix's plan," Teddie explained, trying to sound calmer than her leader was. "He wants us to panic and shut ourselves in," she told him, making the man frown.

"Sir, we're losing optimal air," Hicks warned. The Colonel blinked, turning away from the pair.

"Seal all gates. Overcharge the shield," he ordered. Hicks repeated the order into his com.

"Dad, listen to me," Scott tried again, quieter this time. "Gem and Gemma, they were right! So were Spencer and Annie! We can't just hide in here!" he argued.

"Son, you know the plan," his dad stubbornly refused to listen, and the gate started to drop.

"Scott!" Teddie grabbed his arm, pointing.

"Yeah, I know the plan," Scott hissed. "This time, I ain't just following it," he decided, and bolted. Teddie followed, the two ignoring the Colonel's shouts as they slid under the gate before it closed.

"Well, I guess this time they can't call me reckless," Teddie muttered as they turned and looked out into the Wasteland. "I was just following our fearless leader," she shrugged.

"I hate that Dillon got that name to stick," Scott complained. "You know the way?" he asked, and Teddie nodded.

"I can feel it already," she whispered, looking a little pale. Scott put a hand on her shoulder.

"Then let's go," he said quietly.

* * *

The dome was still visible, but only just, as Annie and Spencer ran along a hill. They slid down in the sand, hiding behind some wreckage.

"Whatever this is, I don't like it," Spencer frowned as they watched the Grinders carrying items around. An Attackbot stood with them, watching as they prepared a strange device connected to a tube going underground. "What is it?" he wondered.

"No clue, but it's definitely not good for the city," Annie replied. The two then looked around, moving into fighting stances as they heard a noise, and stopped as Teddie and Scott slid down and stopped beside them.

"Maybe we can shed some light on that," Scott suggested.

"What are you doing out here?" Spencer hissed. "Teddie, you didn't react well the last time, why-"

"Forget that, isn't the shield overcharged at this point? You're as stuck as us," Annie pointed out.

"New information," Teddie shrugged.

"Venjix is planning to suck the oxygen supply out of the city from there," Scott pointed to the small tunnel where the tube was connected.

"That explains what they're doing hanging out here," Annie frowned.

"Look, we need to split up," Scott decided. "Annie, you and Teddie distract the grinders. Spencer, you're with me," he ordered. The two hesitated, looking to each other.

"Hey, he's the leader, remember?" Teddie grinned. Annie shrugged.

"Fair point. At least I get to take out some Grinders," she cracked her knuckles, and Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Just so you know, I really don't like being underground," he complained.

* * *

Morphed and ready for a fight, Scott and Spencer crept into the tunnel.

"Just like old times, huh?" Spencer whispered to him. Scott rolled his eyes, and they peeked around a corner to see the Attackbot with Tenaya, watching as Grinders set up the tubes. "You running off into the Waste, me hanging around to save your butt," he chuckled.

"Watch it!" Scott hissed as they ducked behind the wall again. "We'll reminisce about me being as reckless as your family later," he whispered.

"Oh, that's a fair dig," Spencer nodded.

* * *

"Get moving, you lazy machines!" out in the open, Teddie and Annie sneaked around the outpost. Also Morphed, the two hid behind some barrels as Crunch shouted at the Grinders.

"That means _now_!" Shifter shouted, and the Grinders picked up the pace.

"Now?" Annie repeated, glancing to Teddie.

"That's what he said," the White Ranger shrugged, giggling. The two rushed in suddenly, and the Grinders looked around, taking a moment to process what was happening. By that point, Teddie and Annie had wiped out almost half of the group with powerful attacks.

"Ah! Rangers!" Shifter spotted him.

"Oh yeah!" Annie nodded as the two Attackbots rushed them.

* * *

' _We need to pull back on the shield power,_ ' Colonel Truman requested.

' _Sir, there's no way_ ,' Hicks repeated again as they spoke over the link to the garage.

"Colonel, I'm showing oxygen levels beginning to drop in the dome's upper atmosphere," Dr. K warned as the team were quiet.

' _Scott was right_ ,' the Colonel realised, sighing.

"So were Spencer and Annie," Arianna spoke up, hands to her chest.

"We have to get out there and help them stop Venjix, _now_!" Summer said, feeling helpless that they were stuck inside.

' _It'll be hours before I can pull enough energy away from the grid to lower the shields_ ,' Colonel Truman explained.

"We don't have hours Colonel," Dr. K pointed out, seeing how quickly the oxygen levels were already falling.

' _There's no way out_ ,' the team sighed, frustrated at the response.

"There's one way," Ziggy spoke up, taking them by surprise. "Station 19, remember Dillon? It vents propane gas, even when the shields are up," he explained.

"I thought that was only at dawn," Dillon frowned. Ziggy deflated, trying to think of an answer.

"But we can reset the city's atomic clock! Reset it all for dawn!" Flynn told them, looking to Dr. K.

"Let's do it!" Summer nodded eagerly.

"There's only one problem," Dr. K sounded reluctant to say. "With the shield overcharged-"

"The flames will be..."

"Huge!" Gem and Gemma explained for her, making more explosion noises.

"They're right," Dr. K said. "The flame bursts will be firing at a rate 200 times faster than normal," she warned. Flynn then laughed.

"What if we had someone who could control those flames?" he asked, looking at Ziggy. The Green Ranger frowned for a moment, before he realised what Flynn meant.

"Nora!"

"Let's go!" Summer told them team.

* * *

In the cave, Scott and Spencer watched as the Attackbot sucked the air from the dome through a pipe they'd found.

"We need to triangulate our fire," Scott explained to Spencer as they watched.

"We can't just sit around, Scott," Spencer shook his head. "The city is losing oxygen. If we don't act, at the speed its going, it'll be drained in an hour. We need to act," he pushed.

"How do you..."

"Kendall doesn't just like me for my pretty face," Spencer shrugged. "I know some things," he said, making Scott roll his eyes.

"Okay, but be careful," he agreed.

"Pressure is high, I get it," Spencer nodded, leaping out from their hiding place. Tenaya looked around as a Grinder sank to the ground near her, and she scowled.

* * *

The remaining five Rangers still in the city approached Station 19 slowly, staring at what was in front of them.

"That's uh...a lot of fire," Ziggy commented slowly as the fire erupted from the vents.

"That's why we called in our backup," Dillon glanced to Nora as she approached, watching the fire with a fascinated look.

"Really, I'm just your firefighter, aren't I?" she asked, passing them with a laugh.

"Be careful!" Arianna called after her. Nora's magic started to shimmer around her in a red haze, and she tilted her head, feeling the strength of the fire in front of her. She was close to it, and the flames licked her boots. Ziggy watched, heart pounding.

"Maybe you should-" he stopped when she shushed him, and held out her hand. She spoke quietly in the language of the Mystics, and the fire split away from her, curling into itself in two pillars.

* * *

Kicking one of the Grinders aside, Spencer spotted the tanks that the Vacuumbot was attached to. He grinned widely, and glanced to Scott.

"Dude, remember that explosion the last time we were out here?" he called.

"I said we'd reminisce later Spencer!" Scott shouted back at him, fighting to push Tenaya back. The blaster on her fingers was aimed just over his head, and he was struggling to keep it there.

"That's cool, but I'd recommend running, because that's gonna look like child's play," Spencer let his sun energy flow into his open hand, and he threw it at the tanks behind the Attackbot. They exploded, and Spencer and Scott fled the cave before the entire thing exploded, tossing Tenaya and the Vacuumbot out.

"What the hell Spencer!" Scott groaned.

"That was for Gem and Gemma, I promised them at least one boom," Spencer shrugged. Spotting the Vacuumbot getting back up, they ran after it.

"Street Sabre!"

"Claw Hatchet!" they ran back into battle.

* * *

"Damn," Dillon said lightly as Nora held the two pillars away and cleared a path.

"I can give you ten seconds. _Go_!" she shouted, and the team nodded.

"Thanks Nora," Summer smiled, and the five Rangers ran through. Once they were clear, Nora aimed the fire up to expel, and as it returned to normal, she let her magic fade, and sank to her knees.

"Looks like Ziggy can have good ideas sometimes. Too bad they always involve my fire..." she murmured, looking down to her clean hands.

* * *

"Suck on this!" Scott's Street Sabre cleaved a gap through the metal of the Attackbot.

"Nice moves," Spencer complimented, leaping over its head and slashing down its back.

"Not bad yourself," Scott said back as the Attackbot fell. Tenaya coughed violently as she rushed from the cave, and spotted Crunch and Shifter fighting Teddie and Annie.

"Really? You two are the top dogs for Venjix?" Annie taunted as she skidded back, and Teddie landed beside her. The Silver Ranger then raised her arm and blocked Tenaya's kick. "Oh, into sneak moves are you?" she asked, shoving the feminine Attackbot back.

"I'm not held back by those moral codes you pathetic humans stick to," Tenaya replied coldly, and frowned when Annie laughed and performed a series of hand gestures. She then threw her arms out, and replicas of her appeared around Tenaya. "Then again, it looks like you aren't either," she commented.

"There's a difference between targeting an enemy whose focus is elsewhere, and using your abilities to defend yourself," Annie replied, and tilted her head. The replicas did the same. "That's like, Ninja Basics 102," she said as if this were obvious. They all then rushed Tenaya, who kicked out. She was caught off balance when her foot went through one and it disappeared, and Annie blasted her with her Claw Hatchet.

"Hey, we should probably go help them out," Teddie pointed to where Scott and Spencer were fighting the Vacuumbot.

"True," Annie nodded. "Laters," she called to Tenaya, who was getting up as the two ran off.

"Oh, sure, _my pleasure_!" Tenaya growled, offended that the two weren't interested in fighting her. "Just go and be destroyed now!" she shouted.

"Bye bye!" Crunch laughed as Tenaya stormed off.

"Mind if we join you?" Spencer and Scott looked up as the two reached them.

"Not a moment too soon," Scott replied with a grin, looking back at the Attackbot.

"It's kinda weak, not really suited to fight," Spencer said to the pair.

"Awesome, then let's scrap this piece of trash," Teddie cheered.

"Engine Cell, Activate!"

"Combine weapons!" as Teddie and Scott called on their Nitro Blasters, Annie and Spencer combined their Claw Hatchets into their blaster modes. "Locked!"

"And loaded!" Annie laughed.

"Fire!" the four shouted as they fired their attacks. They blew up on contact, and but as the Attackbot started to break down, it suddenly grew much larger.

"Uh oh," the four took a step back as the ground rumbled, only for the Attackbot to be hit from behind.

"Time for some spring cleaning!" Summer called as the Rangers arrived in the Zords.

"Let's end this! Zord time!" Scott shouted. He and Teddie summoned their Zords, combining to form their two Megazords, only for the Vacuumbot to steal the Super Sabre.

"Can you guys ever hold onto that thing?" Dillon asked. They fired an attack, only for it to be sucked up.

"Can you even land a hit?" Flynn shot back mockingly.

"Oh shut up," Dillon rolled his eyes as they struggled to stay in place when the Attackbot started to suck them in again.

"We need to get in there," Spencer frowned as the Megazords slid towards the Vacuumbot, unable to stop themselves.

' _Spencer, Annie? I'm down-morphing your Zords_ ,' Dr. K announced, and they looked up to see the rooster and tiger flying towards them.

"Awesome!" Annie grinned, and the two flew in, blasting the Attackbot. Its power faded, and the two Megazords straightened up.

"How about a new Megazord configuration?" Spencer called.

"Do it!" Scott grinned, and the two combined with the High-Octane Megazord, making up new arms.

"Oh sure, everyone can combine with that Megazord but me!" Teddie complained loudly. They threw what had been the propellers of the Rooster Chopper, and it slammed into the Attackbot, slashing it repeatedly.

"You're toasted!" they put the two new arms together. Bright light began to gather, and they threw it out, destroying the Attackbot in one final attack. The Rangers cheered, and Tenaya glared up, cursing them from the ground.

* * *

"So," Ziggy jumped as Flynn slid in close to him as he tried to get some water. "You and Nora eh? She does seem to have a soft spot for you," he teased, making him go red.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied shortly, closing the fridge and straightening up. "We're just friends. She treats me with mild contempt and occasionally helps me learn how to fight," Ziggy answered, trying to walk away.

"Aye right," the Scotsman snorted, following him again. Ziggy rolled his eyes. "You do tend to go for the tough ones. You always dated girls like that?" he pressed, making him stiffen.

"I..." he started, and caught Nora's eye as she walked in, yawning widely. Immediately his heart started slamming against his chest, and he turned away, confused again.

"You _have_ seen other girls, right?" Flynn arched an eyebrow.

"Depends on what you mean by seeing. I see a few right now in here with us," Ziggy said weakly, trying to deflect.

"No way! You've never seen any girls before?" Flynn asked quietly.

"Well, you know, seeing is not believing," Ziggy bit back, and Flynn raised his hands.

"Alright man, it's fine," he said quickly, trying to calm the embarrassed young man. "I'll drop it," Flynn told him.

"Thank you," Ziggy grumbled.

"For now," he groaned as Flynn smiled and walked over to Nora, putting his arm around the girl.

"Oxygen levels have returned to normal all over Corinth," they looked around as Dr. K emerged from her lab, hands together as she tried to sound upbeat. Scott laughed victoriously, high-fiving Teddie. "In an effort to improve my role as your mentor-"

"Mentor?" Ziggy repeated, and an apple hit in the side of the head as Nora glared at him. "Ow...never mind..." he muttered as Dr. K also glared at him.

"I want to begin adding positive reinforcement to our post-mission debriefings," Dr. K continued. "Scott," she turned to the Red Ranger, who tensed, hoping she wouldn't hug him again. "As usual, your judgement and leadership were impeccable," she praised, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Teddie, your unwavering loyalty to your team-leader made you a valuable asset out in the Waste," she said to the White Ranger.

"Oh yeah," Teddie bumped fists with Scott this time, and Dr. K moved on.

"Summer, you served admirably as leader in Scott's brief absence, and I love those shoes," she added, making Summer smile widely. "Flynn, excellent work as always," the Blue Ranger relaxed when she didn't hug him, and Dillon patted him on the shoulder. "Arianna, you showed that I chose correctly with the prototype Morpher," she said, and Arianna blushed. "Dillon, you showed amazing courage," she praised the Black Ranger, who barely reacted past his eyebrows twitching. "Nora, while you are not a Ranger, you are also a valuable member of this team and your contribution today was greatly appreciated," she smiled to Nora, who blinked rapidly.

"Oh...thanks?" she tried, confused to have been included. Flynn ruffled her hair, and she swatted at him, hiding her pleased smile.

"Gem, Gemma, you guys have made me proud. Without your intel, we might not have won today," she told the pair, who smiled brightly. "Spencer, Annie, you two are still new to the team, but you are fantastic additions," she praised, and they exchanged looks.

"No probs Doc," Spencer winked at her, and she moved onto Ziggy, who was leaning against the pillar, not expecting much.

"And you. Your idea to use Station 19 was...good," she managed, and his face brightened. "I-" she was cut off by the alarm blaring, and immediately everyone started moving.

"Wait, no!" Ziggy groaned.

"Sector 27!" Scott called.

"Come on!" Ziggy complained as Dr. K disappeared into her lab with Gem and Gemma.

"Maybe next time. And without the mentor part," Nora laughed as she walked past, and he sighed heavily.

* * *

 **Teddie and Annie's reaction to Dr. K's "positive words" was pretty close to my own, both back when I first watched RPM, and when I rewatched the episode to write this.**

 **I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	21. Raid

**So I've pulled something in my shoulder and it hurts to move, let alone type, but managed to get this written as I'm away for a couple of days so won't get much done.**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 21: Raid

"Super Sabre!" the High-Octane Megazord called on its sword, swinging at the Attackbot rushing them. It caught the sabre, and started a struggle over it.

"Let go, you daft-" Flynn grunted as the sabre started to slip from their grasp, only for a blast above to knock the Attackbot back. It let go, and the Megazord stumbled back a few steps.

"Wow, you guys really do suck at holding onto that thing," Annie laughed as she and Spencer flew their Zords overhead.

"Told you," Dillon smirked as the ValveMax Megazord stood behind the Attackbot and fired several blasts. The Attackbot staggered, sparking as parts of its circuitry were revealed from the damage.

"Target locked," Spencer spotted it immediately and took aim. "Back up everyone," he called, firing a blast. It collided with the open section, and exploded, ripping through the inside of the Attackbot and causing it to explode.

"Nicely done!" Flynn called.

"What a show-off," Teddie giggled as they watched the two flying overhead swoop through the sky.

"Good work everyone. Let's head back," Scott ordered.

* * *

Staring down in front of her, Teddie didn't move, so deep in concentration the others around could almost see the cogs in her head turning. Finally she stirred, prodding a white Bishop a few spaces ahead. The second she drew her hand back, Heckyl took the Bishop, replacing it with a Knight.

"Check," he said idly, smirking at her with entertainment that she couldn't help but associate with their banter when they both worked in the Dino Cafe.

"You _suck_ ," she whined, glaring at him.

"Says the one who hasn't won a game of chess yet," Nora taunted as she walked by. Teddie shot her a glare, before turning back to the board.

"You know, taking so long to decide on a move only helps me in the end," Heckyl teased as she looked to the few pieces she had left on the board. She didn't respond, but he could see the blush rising from her neck up her face. Teddie was competitive, and he had quickly found it was very easy to wind her up during games, especially when they involved strategy.

And she was terrible at strategy games.

"How much longer do you think he's going to pick on her before she realises he's had her beat for about 6 turns?" Summer wondered, sipping at the smoothie she'd gotten from Flynn.

"The lass is sharp when it comes to real fights, but when it comes to chess..." Flynn took a drink.

"She's about as quick as a snail," Spencer finished for him with a grin.

"Well, you're not the best at chess either you know," Annie snorted as she passed.

"Nobody in my family is..." Spencer muttered. "But at least I know not to play it," he shrugged, making the Blue and Yellow Rangers laugh. He took a seat, grabbing a peach and ignoring Flynn swatting at him. "Do you guys know what Dr. K wanted us all here for?" he asked as their laughter faded.

"Not a clue," Flynn answered, pulling the bowl of fruit closer to him.

"She'll tell us when she's ready," Summer shrugged. Behind, they heard Teddie cry out in horror, followed by a thud. None of them looked up, knowing that she'd finally been beaten. "It's usually the way," she continued, smiling slightly as they ignored the commotion.

"Hopefully it's soon. Dillon's looking grouchy again," Flynn said as he took a gulp of his own smoothie. "Think she denied him a drive round town in that heap he calls a car," he grinned.

"I heard that," Dillon called over, not looking around as he followed Nora. "Hand it over," he told her.

"You ain't my boss," she taunted, smirking at him.

"I don't have to be to make you regret not giving me your camera," Dillon lunged at her, only for Nora to vanish in a puff of red sparkles. "Cute trick, but it won't save you," he warned, looking around for her.

"You can't even catch a Ninja, what makes you think you can catch a witch?" Nora called from above, leaning on the railings and waving her camera.

"Why's he want the camera so bad?" Flynn asked as Summer frowned a little at the antics, her stomach twisting in an unfamiliar feeling.

"Nora got a picture of Dr. K hugging him. He wants to burn it," Spencer grinned. It faded slightly when he saw Summer's expression. "The two get on like a pair of siblings, it's funny," he commented. Summer glanced to him, and the knot lessened slightly as Flynn laughed.

"Aye, that's for sure. Just like you and Teddie," he agreed. Spencer laughed too, unable to deny that.

"Rangers," Dr. K called as she emerged from the lab, followed by Gem and Gemma. "I have some news," she announced, her face impassive, giving them no information whatsoever. The three sitting at the little kitchenette got up, and Teddie stopped battering Heckyl with her fists, having tackled him after he finally took pity and won the game.

"What's up?" Scott asked as they all gathered around curiously.

"Thanks to Gem and Gemma providing information about what they learned out in the waste," Dr. K nodded to her friends, who beamed back. "We have been made aware of a prisoner labour camp, half a day from Corinth," they all straightened up a little.

"More of them," Nora frowned, digging her fingers into her arm as she thought of her own time in one of Venjix's camps. Teddie took a step closer to her, barely reacting other than that, and Nora appreciated the gesture.

"So what? We're going out there?" Dillon asked with a frown.

"Yes and no," Dr. K answered, and he let out a frustrated growl. "Commander, Colonel?" she turned to one of the screens, contacting the men in question. Sky glanced to Colonel Truman, before clearing his throat.

" _From what we've been able to figure out, this camp itself is a key piece of the Venjix Barricade. By taking it apart, we'd cripple_ _their front line_ ," he spoke up, arms folded. " _And after some consideration about what was said before..._ " his eyes went straight to Spencer and Annie. The Gold and Silver Rangers exchanged grins, not seeming guilty at all.

" _We've decided_ _in this case_ _, to make a more offensive move_ ," Colonel Truman continued.

"So you _are_ sending us out there?" Ziggy asked, confused.

" _Some of you, yes_ ," Sky confirmed.

"How hard was it just to say that," Dillon complained under his breath. Annie grinned, hearing him.

"After discussing it at length," Dr. K huffed, clearly having argued this repeatedly with the pair. "Scott, you'll be leading Teddie, Spencer, Arianna and Dillon out there," the named Rangers lifted their heads in surprise. Spencer glanced to Teddie, frowning a little as she looked thoughtful.

"Doctor, with all due respect-"

"Spencer," Teddie cut him off, knowing what was going on in his head. "Do not go protective big brother on me now," she warned, irritated. Heat flared across Spencer's face as everyone looked at him, but he kept his mouth shut, looking all too unhappy to do so.

"Teddie provides good backup to Scott's decisions, while Arianna proves useful in an emergency," Dr. K explained. "And with your experience and Dillon's own skills make you the wisest choice for an infiltration mission like this," she told them. Dillon rolled his eyes. "In the event that Venjix does launch an attack on the city while they're gone, Summer will lead the team," the Yellow Ranger blushed at the announcement.

" _You've an hour to get ready_ ," Colonel Truman instructed, ending the transmission. Dr. K immediately returned to her lab, effectively ending the meeting.

"Cheery dude," Annie said casually, patting Spencer on the shoulder. "Careful out there. No dumb moves, you don't have me to bail you out," she teased, and he rolled his eyes, knowing it was her way of showing concern. Instead, he turned to Teddie, who had gone to lift the scattered chess pieces.

"Ted, look," Spencer approached her. "Are you really sure about this?" he asked.

"I appreciate you looking out for me Spence, but I'm just as much a member of this team as you," Teddie replied as she stood up, taking the piece that Heckyl handed her. "What happened in New Tech City won't happen again," she said, and her confidence confused the Gold Ranger.

"How can you be so sure?" he pushed, and Teddie looked at him, her brow furrowed deep in frustration.

"Why can't you just trust me?" she demanded. "You'd trust anyone else out there, why not me?" she stared at her brother, who huffed.

"Because the others didn't regrow an entire park in under five minutes," he reminded her, trying to keep his voice controlled.

"I said it wouldn't happen again!" Teddie argued, her voice quivering.

"How do you know that for sure?" Spencer's own temper was starting to fray.

"She's been working on control with your father," Heckyl's quiet words made Spencer's eyes widen.

"Heckyl!" Teddie frowned at him, and he gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

"You...why didn't you say that?" Spencer demanded. Teddie turned a glare back on him, and for a moment, he saw their mother, in one of the videos he'd watched a thousand times during his time in the SPD academy.

"Why should I have to? Why couldn't you just trust me on it?" she bit back, and after dumping the chess pieces back in a box noisily, she stormed off. Heckyl glanced to Spencer, who didn't speak, before following her away.

"She's right, you know," Spencer turned to Nora and Arianna. Nora had her arms folded, unimpressed, while Arianna looked worried. "She's not just your sister any more Spencer, she's one of the Rangers. You should trust her," Nora shrugged.

"Nora..." Arianna glanced to her, then back to Spencer, her gaze hardening. "Nora's also right. You insulted Teddie by trying to keep her here. You didn't try to keep Dillon here, when he has Venjix implants, or me, when I'm the least experienced Ranger going out there," she reminded him.

"But-"

"They can't grow parks?" Nora snorted, and Spencer went red. "You moved in here to keep an eye on Dillon when he first became a Ranger, because of the risk of him falling under Venjix' control. You're biased because she's your sister and you're worried about her," she accused.

"Hold on a second, you can't-"

"What? Tell the truth?" Nora challenged, watching his anger grow. Arianna sighed. It seemed things hadn't changed much. The two always riled each other up before.

"Enough," they both looked at Arianna as she spoke in a more commanding tone. She blushed, but didn't back down. "Nora, you're only helping frustrate him more. But in a way, Spencer, she's right. You're trying too hard to keep her safe when you should be doing what Chase did when they were a team," the Mercury Ranger told him.

"What?" Spencer blinked, confused by her words.

"He had her back. And she had his. They stood by each other when they needed it," Arianna smiled. "She'll be fine out there," she insisted, and with that, walked off.

"She's definitely the voice of wisdom on this team," Nora shrugged as Spencer ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, she is," he sighed, and started in the direction that Teddie had stormed off in.

"Are you sure you'd not rather stay and play another game of chess?" he heard Heckyl, and breathed a sigh of relief. If he was teasing her, Teddie wasn't about to go nuclear.

"I will turn you into a frog," Teddie warned, sounding irritable, but was smiling in amusement as she let the stem of a flower twirl around her fingers before drawing back. It bloomed into a pretty lilac, and she set it down, satisfied. "Stop lurking bro," she called, and Spencer pushed her bedroom door open and stepped in. Clearing his throat, Heckyl moved from his spot on the bed and left the room to give them a moment.

"I was too hard on you," Spencer said, taking a seat at the desk.

"No duh," Teddie snorted, arms folded as she stayed on the bed, legs crossed in front of her.

"It's just...a lot to adjust to," Spencer continued, trying not to react. "Getting made a Ranger again, with you. And then to know that for all my power, there's some things out there that I'm blind to. That mum's blind to," he shrugged, a little embarrassed. Teddie didn't speak, watching him curiously. "I'm not dumb, I know that Venjix has done real damage to the planet. More than all the villains before him did combined. I'm worried about you Ted," he admitted, and when he saw her eyebrows start to draw together, he quickly continued. "I know you can handle yourself in a fight. I've seen you do it. But I also know that you have a bad habit of bottling things up, and I don't want you to get hurt because I let it happen," he shrugged. For a moment, there was a quiet pause, and he looked away, fidgeting with his glasses.

"Spence, I'm not a little kid any-more," Teddie finally spoke up. "And I do learn. I know I can rely on you guys. What happened in New Tech won't happen again," she insisted confidently.

"And I have to trust that. Man, I didn't sign up for this when I agreed to take the Gold Morpher," Spencer complained, making Teddie giggle.

"I didn't either, but here we are," she got up, and hugged her brother tightly. "It'll be fine y'know. I know you've got my back. Same as Scott and Dillon and 'Anna," she said quietly.

"Of course," he muttered, hugging her tightly. After a moment, he cleared his throat, and stood, making her let go. "Enough of this sappy stuff. I need to take care of some stuff before I go," Spencer said, fixing his glasses again. Teddie smirked.

"You mean spending some time with Kendall?" she teased, and his fist landed on her head lightly.

"You might not be a little kid any more, but you're still a brat," he rolled his eyes.

* * *

The hairs on the back of Teddie's neck stood on end as the five Rangers moved quietly through the waste.

"I'm glad we could use my Zord to get most of the way here, I wouldn't have cared much for walking around here for hours," Spencer said quietly, just as unnerved as the rest. Arianna nodded her agreement.

"Let's just hope it didn't tip Venjix off," Scott muttered, raising his hand as a wind stirred the sands they walked on. He suddenly threw out his arm, so abruptly that Dillon walked into it, and glared at him before they all ducked behind the dunes they were by. "There," he hissed, pointing down.

The others looked where he was indicating, peeking out, and spotted a rundown warehouse that looked like it had originally been put up in a hurry, and hadn't been looked after since. Along with the Grinders, were humans, all looking exhausted. Arianna put her hands to her mouth in horror as one older woman fell, not moving as Grinders descended on her.

"This is horrible," she whispered as the woman was hauled to her feet and dragged away.

"Free labour to build their machines," Scott muttered, disgusted.

"Let's get down there and clear them out," Dillon growled, standing, but Scott grabbed him and pulled him back down.

"Wait!" the Red Ranger hissed at him. "We need a plan. We can't just burst in there. Who knows what they'll do to the people they have captured down there," he shook his head. Dillon looked frustrated, but didn't argue, knowing he was right.

"So, fearless leader, what do you suggest?" he asked. Scott's brow furrowed for a moment as his brain went into overdrive to come up with something, and he turned to Teddie and Spencer. Scott grinned.

"I have an idea," he whispered, beckoning them all closer.

Below, in the camp, the people kept to themselves, not looking up or daring to try and communicate with each other as the Grinders kept watch. They lifted the crates that had been dropped in that morning, bringing them inside. As a young woman crouched to lift the heavy crate that she could barely carry, sudden movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. The Grinders didn't move that fast, and the people certainly didn't. Looking up, her eyes widened as she saw Spencer take down a Grinder silently. He caught her eye, and motioned for her to keep quiet as he dragged the robot away.

Too stunned to react, the woman could only watch as Spencer disappeared, and as another Grinder approached to fill the blind spot, looking around for its missing companion, Teddie emerged from her own hiding spot, taking it down as well. Once it had been dragged away as well, the two moved away to take out more of the Grinders, before indicating for the others to follow.

"You guys seriously scare me," Scott admitted quietly when the five regrouped. He then turned to the woman still watching them, and he crouched in front of her. "I'm Scott, my team is here to get you out. What's your name?" he asked her gently.

"Helen," her voice quivered and cracked from lack of use.

"Okay Helen, how many are there of you?" Scott kept his confident smile as he offered his hand to help her up.

"I um...maybe fifty?" she guessed.

"Fifty..." Arianna breathed, before looking around. "Do you know if there's any transport around here?" she asked the woman. After a moment, she nodded.

"Yes, there's a few trucks at the back. But they haven't been used the entire time we've been here. I don't know if they'll work," she admitted.

"That's a job for me," Spencer volunteered. "You guys focus on getting the rest out. Helen, you come with me. Stay close," he instructed. Nervously, the woman nodded, and hurried after Spencer when he darted off.

"Great work. Let's focus on getting the rest out," Scott said, before hearing a crash nearby. They whirled around to see Grinders pouring out, having knocked over a crate after spotting them.

"So much for a sneak attack," Teddie muttered.

"Let's take them out!" Scott ordered. The four met the Grinders head-on, dodging their attacks and knocking the robots back with hits of their own. As Scott grabbed a broken pipe and used it to hit one away, Arianna blasted more away with her Mercurian powers, and Teddie kicked one over a crate. Dillon smirked as a large group surrounded him, and with powerful punches and kicks, he knocked them all down, with their broken circuitry sparking.

"They weren't expecting a proper rebellion here, so they don't have a huge army," Teddie called as she knocked another one away and stood with the others.

"Even so, better Morph and clear them out before they can do any damage," Scott decided. The others nodded, grabbing their Engine Cells. "Ready?"

"Ready!" the others called.

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" Morphing into their Ranger suits, the team grabbed their weapons and rushed in, taking out the Grinders quickly. The prisoners cried out in fear, not sure what was going on, dropping what they were doing.

"Jet Fists!" as some of the Grinders tried to corral the terrified people, Arianna rushed in and delivered a punch that flung one away. "Please stay calm, we're here to help you!" she called with the confidence of the Intergalactic Responder she had been training to become. The people still looked terrified, but didn't scatter again as Arianna continued to fight off the Grinders.

"Power Rangers..." one man muttered, watching as the team made quick work of their captors. "Looks like not all of them abandoned us," he commented as Scott finished the last of them off with his Nitro Sword.

"Are there any others?" Scott asked as the four stood in front of the staring prisoners.

"Aye," one spoke up. "They'll have taken some of the ones who can't work into a deeper cell. I can show you where," he offered.

"That's great, thank you," Scott nodded. "Arianna, you take the rest to Spencer and start loading up the trucks. "Dillon, Teddie, you're with me," he ordered, and they nodded.

"You know how to run a tight ship," the man said as he led the three another way, through a long dark corridor. "It's not far. They keep the sick and old ones out here to stop us from all getting sick," he said.

"Venjix might not treat you like it, but he knows how to keep prisoners alive," Teddie muttered.

"Aye, that's for sure," the man agreed, stopping at a large door. "They should be behind there," he said, and Scott jiggled the handle, but it didn't budge.

"Locked," he shook his head, stepping back.

"Not for long," Teddie demorphed and pulled a hairpin from her hair. The man frowned as he watched her start to pick the lock.

"You're just a kid. You look the same age as my daughter would be," he said. Teddie ignored him, focused on what she was doing as Dillon watched for any surprises.

"What's your name?" Scott asked as they waited.

"Uh. Jim. Jim Murphy. You?" he asked, and Teddie's eyes widened as the hairpin snapped. Dillon, hearing it, looked around at her with a frown.

"Jim Murphy?" she repeated, staring at the lock but not focused on it.

"Aye, you know me or somethin'?" he asked, brow creasing. A beat later, Teddie's fist was smashing into his face.

"Teddie!" Scott cried out as Dillon grabbed the girl and pulled her back effortlessly. She struggled in his grasp as the man swore, on his knees as he held his cheek.

"You little bitch! What's your problem?" he demanded, looking up at her. When he took a look at her properly, Jim's eyes widened. "Ah bleedin' hell. You're one of Olivia's mates, aren't you?" he realised.

"You bastard! Dillon, let me go!" Teddie shouted, struggling.

"Teddie!" Scott stood in front of her, grabbing her shoulders. "I don't care _who_ he is. Stop shouting, and get that door unlocked," he ordered. Teddie looked up at him, rage on her face, before she stopped struggling. Dillon slowly let her go, and she yanked away, pulling another pin from her hair.

"Whatever," she spat, starting to unlock the door again. Closing her eyes for a moment, Teddie willed herself to calm down and stop shaking. She couldn't believe that of all the people to come across, she had managed to find the man who had abandoned his daughter to avoid paying his gambling debts. Taking another deep breath, she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, focusing on the others she had to help.

"You okay?" Scott asked, offering his hand to the man on the ground.

"Aye, I'm fine. Girl has a good left hook," Jim chuckled as he got back to his feet. "If she's friends with my little girl, I'm not too surprised," he shrugged. Teddie hissed under her breath, before the lock clicked open. She shot the man a dark look as she Morphed again, stepping back to let Scott open the door.

* * *

Outside, Arianna looked around nervously, keeping watch for any Venjix troops as the people they'd saved either kept quiet, or spoke to each other in hushed whispers.

"Come on, I know you can do it," Arianna looked to Spencer, who was speaking in soothing tones to the engine he was messing with. "Come on..." he soothed, before something clicked. "Okay, I think that should be it," he said to Arianna, closing the hood and jumping up. "No keys, typical," he rolled his eyes, and snapped his fingers. Instantly the truck roared to life, making multiple people jump. "Nice. Okay, start making your way to the back. It's going to be bumpy, but the destination will make it worth it!" Spencer called.

"Where are we going?" one woman asked Arianna as people started ushering the children and those who looked like they were barely staying on their feet to get on first.

"Corinth city, it's not too far from here," Arianna answered, and her eyes widened.

"Corinth is still standing? I thought for sure it would be crushed by Venjix already," the woman admitted. Arianna shook her head, and the woman chuckled a little. "I suppose it's thanks to you and your team. Thank you for saving us," she took Arianna's hands, squeezing them, before joining back with the crowd.

"You okay?" Spencer asked, touching her arm briefly as he made sure the second truck was working.

"I..." Arianna started, and shook her head. "I'm fine. I just...never realised that being a Ranger was like being a Responder," she gave a quiet laugh.

"That was your dream, wasn't it? Before all this started," Spencer remembered as he started the second truck and started herding more to climb in. "To be like your parents," he said, and Arianna shrugged.

"It was. But after spending time on Earth, I started to think that my place was here," she said, and Spencer glanced to her as he checked the engine of the last truck. "I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave Philip or Teddie or any of my friends," Arianna confessed, shaking her head.

"If that's what you want, then that's what you want," Spencer shrugged, making her frown in confusion. "Whew, this one is fine," he sighed in relief and shut the hood again. "What I mean is, you don't have to feel bad for changing your mind. But no matter what you pick, everyone will support you. That's what our Ranger family does. We're supportive, in the most overbearing way possible," he grinned, making her laugh.

"Right," she nodded. "Thanks Spence," she smiled.

"Hey, you might be the one who usually gives advise, but I like to try now and again," he winked at her, and snapped his fingers. The last engine roared to life. "Okay, the last of you get on! Just needing to wait for the last, then we're outta here," Spencer called, and there was a murmur of hope that rippled through the people as they hurried to get in.

"Three trucks?" they looked to Dillon as he emerged, carrying an old man on his back.

"All working thanks to Spencer," Arianna smiled. "Here, I'll find some room for him," she helped the man, and led him and the others towards the back of the trucks.

"Nice work," Scott called as they got the last on board.

"Thanks lads, we really owe you," Jim nodded to Scott before climbing on board.

"Let's go," Scott said to the team, who nodded. He then stopped Spencer as the Gold Ranger went to pass him, waiting for a second longer. "Keep an eye on Teddie," he said quietly.

"What? Why? I was told not to go protective big brother on her," Spencer complained, confused.

"One of the men we got out of here, his name is Jim Murphy. You know him?" Scott asked, still keeping his voice low as Teddie got into a truck with Dillon.

"Murphy..." Spencer repeated, thinking about it. "Oh, oh man," his eyes widened. "Olivia Murphy. She's Chase's girlfriend. From what we know, when the Dino Charge Rangers were the active team, Olivia's dad skipped town after building up a huge debt with the cartels, left Olivia to fend for herself. My parents took her in, and she was living with my aunt and uncle when Venjix hit," he explained. Scott cursed.

"Definitely keep an eye on Teddie then. She's punched him once. Who knows what she'll do if she blows her lid," Scott warned, and Spencer hummed his agreement.

"Right. Now let's get out of here," Spencer shivered.

"Just one more thing," Scott pulled a device from his jacket. "A present, from Gem and Gemma," he said, and Spencer grinned.

"I love their presents," he chuckled.

* * *

The atmosphere in the garage was tense, needless to say, as the rest of the Rangers waited for confirmation of a successful mission. All of them hoped that they would be back before Venjix thought to send another Attackbot.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard than round here," Nora muttered as she swapped her camera for her sword, getting in some practise to avoid the gloom.

"They should have arrived by now. Assuming the mission went well, the team should be in contact soon," Dr. K said, watching Nora as she moved her sword with ease. It didn't look light. The small doctor wasn't sure she would even be able to lift the two handed weapon.

"Oh, I hope..."

"Scott liked our present," Gemma finished for her brother, an excited smile lighting up her face.

"Present?" Nora asked, confused.

"Once the camp is empty..."

"They just have to set it up and..."

"Boom!" the twins shouted together, high-fiving. Dr. K shook her head and sighed in exasperation. Nora smiled a little, before the computer beeped.

' _Dr. K, we're on our way back_ ,' Scott's voice crackled over the communication link. Nora immediately went out to call the team in.

"Affirmative Scott. Was the mission a success?" Dr. K asked as Flynn, Summer, Ziggy and Annie rushed in.

' _Roughly fifty prisoners liberated. It'll take a few hours, but we'll be back before nightfall_ ,' Scott confirmed, making them smile in relief.

"I'll let the Colonel know to expect you," Dr. K nodded, still impossibly passive.

"Fifty people? I can't believe Venjix had so many prisoners," Summer breathed in horror.

"Seems about right," she looked to Nora, whose brow was furrowed. "The camp I was at kept people alive for their grunt work," she reminded the Yellow Ranger.

"Nora..." Ziggy started, and she blinked, snapping back to attention.

"I blew that one up. Gem and Gemma would have appreciated the explosion," she forced a grin, and the twins cheered.

"Now we just wait till they get back, and hope Venjix hasn't noticed yet," Flynn shrugged.

"Don't tempt fate," Nora told him, and he messed up her hair, making the girl swat at his hand. She smiled a little as he grinned, and the tense air faded just a little.

* * *

It took a few hours, but it seemed that Venjix finally noticed them taking a more offensive step. The alarm in the garage beeped, and the Rangers rushed in.

"Venjix signatures to the south," Dr. K reported.

"On it. Let's go," Summer told the remaining members of the team, who hurried out to face whatever Venjix had planned for them. Dr. K sighed again, waiting for the tell-tale Ranger signatures to come into range of the city.

The Rangers heard Siren scream before they saw her, and slowed to a stop as she chased away the soldiers trying to guard the section of the city they were attacking.

"Great, there you are," Siren grumbled as she let the woman she was tormenting get away. "I'm guessing the rest of your colourful friends are still outside?" she called.

"What's wrong Siren? Is Venjix feeling a little threatened?" Summer taunted. Siren's jaw clenched as she tried to keep her temper down.

"Threatened? By weaklings like you? You took out one little camp. You think there aren't more out there?" she shouted back.

"But we took one out," Flynn shrugged. "It's proof that we aren't weak," he pointed out.

"You getting all defensive is proof of that," Annie smirked. Siren was quiet for a moment, before she let out a powerful shriek. Annie used her hands to form a couple of rapid gestures, before clapping them together. A clap of thunder echoed out from them, cutting through Siren's soundwave. The Attackbot stumbled backwards in alarm.

"Grinders!" she called on the footsoldiers, who rushed in past her. "You're down five Rangers. I'll crush you," Siren vowed, more to herself than them, and joined in the fight.

Annie ducked under the swing of a Grinder, kicking it back, only to be caught in the side by Siren. She stumbled, barely staying on her feet as pain gathered by her hip.

"Nice shot," Annie nodded her approval, and punched the Grinder rushing at her. She then ran at Siren, who dodged her attack and kicked out again. This time Annie dodged it, and the two exchanged powerful blows that deterred the Grinders from going near them. With a yell, Annie caught Siren with a punch across the jaw, and she staggered back, a hand reflexively going to the mask that covered most of her face. "What's wrong? Afraid I'll see what's under there?" the Silver Ranger called after her.

"I don't think even you could cope with seeing nothing but wires and circuitry under here," Siren snapped back. "Now!" she shouted, and Annie's eyes widened as an Attackbot flew overhead suddenly, and dropped from the sky. It landed heavily in front of Annie, and blasted her, making her scream.

"Annie!" Summer shouted in horror as she saw the Silver Ranger land heavily nearby. She struggled to sit up, putting a hand to her shoulder, which was badly burned.

"I was right. Behind all that bravado is another weak human who thinks they're _special_ because they have a few tricks up their sleeve," Siren sneered as the Attackbot made a strange grating noise that they realised was laughter.

"We need to Morph!" Summer shouted. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" the team Morphed and finished off the Grinders as the Attackbot stood over Annie again.

"Not so fast!" activating his time manipulation, Flynn rushed in and slashed across the Attackbot, forcing it away from Annie. It tripped, falling back and into Siren.

"Get off me!" the female Attackbot snarled, shoving it away. "Finish them!" she ordered. It beeped loudly, and rushed in as they tried to help Annie up.

"Ziggy, get Annie to safety," Summer called as she drew her Nitro Sword.

"Right," he nodded, taking her weight as Summer went to help Flynn with the Attackbot.

"Just don't teleport us underground," Annie requested with a weak laugh.

"Please don't make me worry about that," Ziggy mumbled, and took a deep breath before focusing on the garage and activating his teleportation. The two vanished, leaving Summer and Flynn to fight Siren and her Attackbot.

"And then there were two," Siren smirked.

"Aye, but that's still too many for you," Flynn called.

"And you call me arrogant," Siren sighed. "End them!" she shouted to the Attackbot. It beeped again, and fired a blast that the two leapt aside to avoid.

"Let's hope Scott and the others are back soon," Summer muttered.

* * *

A groan of pain slipped free as Annie lay back on the bed in the lab.

"Don't tell the others I got careless," she muttered as Nora helped pull off her burned jacket.

"You better get back out there and help Summer and Flynn," the fire witch said to Ziggy, who nodded, relieved he'd gotten Annie back without a problem.

' _Doctor! We're approaching the city now_!' Scott's voice earned their attention as the computer picked up their Ranger signals.

"I'll inform the Colonel. As soon as you get into the city, please head straight for the southern sector to help the others with Siren and their new Attackbot," Dr. K instructed.

' _I guess Venjix wasn't too happy that we blew that camp sky-high_ ,' Spencer said lightly.

' _We're on it_ ,' Scott confirmed. Relieved that their backup was almost there, Ziggy focused on the fight, and reactivated his teleporter.

* * *

Reappearing where the fight had been taking place, Ziggy gave a laugh and looked at Summer and Flynn.

"See, I knew I'd get the hang of this thing!" he waved his wrist.

"Get down!" Summer shouted, and Ziggy realised with horror who they had been looking at before. Yelping, he whirled around to see the Attackbot standing over him, and he dropped to the ground. "Zip Charger!" Summer fired a blast of yellow energy that slammed into it before it could hit the Green Ranger.

"Guys!" Ziggy scrambled over to them as the Attackbot flailed. "The others are on their way. They'll be here soon," he told them.

"That's great!" Summer smiled, relieved.

"Aye, we just need to hold on a wee bit longer," Flynn nodded, raising his own weapon. "Turbo Cannon!" he shot it, knocking Siren off her feet with a cry.

"Oh no. You aren't getting out of this one," she hissed, pushing herself back to her feet. "We'll crush you before they get here!" Siren got up and screamed, throwing them off their feet.

"I really hate when she does that," Flynn complained.

"What?" Ziggy called, ears ringing.

"Split up! She can't hit us when we're moving!" Summer shouted, back on her feet already. "Zip Charger!" she fired another blast as she ran, and as the Attackbot fell over again, she took a deep breath. "Not much longer to go. Please hurry," she whispered, feeling her energy levels dropping fast.

"Turbo Axe!" Ziggy grabbed his axe and swung it. He let out a cry as he was pulled along by the momentum, crashing into Siren. As she grabbed his wrist, Flynn punched her, knocking her straight into the Attackbot.

"I'm starting to think that thing is more in control than you," Flynn told the Green Ranger, who gave a weak laugh as he lifted his axe. "How are your energy levels?" he asked in a quieter voice.

"They'll last," Ziggy replied, sounding more confident than he felt. Two teleports – _successful_ teleports – had drained most of his power. And he wasn't blind. He could see Summer slowing down, while Flynn's attacks weren't as strong. They needed the rest of the team, and fast.

Siren smirked, seeing the three starting to slow down as well. Targeting the Silver Ranger, who was powerful but hot-headed, had been the best start. Now, to take down the one in charge. Her attention shifted to Summer, who was encouraging the other two. Kicking Ziggy back, Siren darted in and slammed her shoulder into Summer. She gasped, stumbling as the blow hurt – another sign that her suit was low on power – and fell straight in the path of the Attackbot.

"Now!" Siren ordered. The Attackbot blasted the Yellow Ranger, who was tossed backwards into a wall. She cried out, falling onto her front, and demorphing.

"Summer!" the Blue and Green Rangers shouted as Siren laughed, indicating for the Attackbot to make one final attack.

"Another down," Siren waved mockingly as Summer's eyes widened. The Attackbot fired the blast, and Summer covered her head, only for Dillon to rush in the way, calling on his suit's power. The attack bounced off his shield, and slammed into the Attackbot. It fell back, sparking and flailing as it malfunctioned.

"No!" Siren yelled.

"You've run out of time," Scott called as the rest of the Rangers reached them.

"You okay?" Dillon asked as he helped Summer up.

"I am now," she offered a smile, and he nodded back. He was just glad he'd made it in time.

"Get up, you miserable sack of scrap metal!" Siren kicked her companion, who beeped and whirled before finally getting up.

"That thing has seen better days," Teddie considered.

"And it's not going to see any more," Scott frowned. "Let's finish it! Street Sabre!"

"Turbo Cannon!"

"Rocket Blaster!"

"Turbo Axe!"

"Jet Fists!"

"Rocket Hammer!"

"Claw Hatchet!" they all called on their weapons, and attacked one after the other. Siren dove for cover, but the damaged Attackbot wasn't fast enough, taking the brunt of their attacks. Once Spencer had cut through it, it fell over, and exploded.

"Dammit. This isn't over," Siren warned, running off.

"Nice work everyone," Scott praised his team.

* * *

"You okay?" Teddie looked up, having been thanked for what seemed like the hundredth time by someone, as Spencer approached her. Nearby, the freed prisoners were being checked over by soldiers, and occasionally broke away to thank the Rangers for helping them.

"I'm fine," she nodded, and he arched an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm still kinda pissed," Teddie admitted, running a hand through her hair. "Spence, he didn't even sound like he regretted leaving her," she told him.

"What are you going to do?" Spencer asked, watching her.

"I'm gonna talk to Oli once we're done here," Teddie answered. "He's trash, but he's still her family by blood," she said, making him smile and pat her head.

"We all know that's not the only thing that makes a family," he reminded her, and she smiled, nodding.

"Right. I just hope she'll be okay with it," Teddie said.

Nearby, Jim watched from an alleyway, leaning against a wall. He looked from Teddie, to Spencer, who he recognised from a short stop in New Tech City. But his main concern was talking to the Blue and Black Rangers.

"Shit. I know that kid," he muttered, watching Ziggy. "The Cartel even has their reach with the Power Rangers? I'm so screwed," Jim muttered, slinking away before they could notice him.

"This will probably take a while, you should get back and debrief Dr. K," Colonel Truman told the team when he turned to them. "Get some rest," he added.

"Thanks dad," Scott nodded. His dad gave a stiff nod back, and turned back to what he was doing. "You heard the man, let's get back," he said to the team.

"I hope Annie's doing okay," Arianna spoke.

"She'll be fine, especially once she _convinces_ me to heal her injuries," Spencer grinned. "They really liked to call me their first aid kit when I was an SPD Ranger," he said, making them laugh.

Something crackled nearby, earning the Gold Ranger's attention, and he looked around sharply. Dillon did the same, and so did Teddie.

"What was-" Teddie was cut off when Spencer shoved her aside. An explosion knocked everyone off their feet, including the soldiers and civilians nearby. Rubble and dirt rained on the Rangers, who'd been the closest, and they coughed from the smoke.

"I told you it wasn't over, Rangers!" Siren's voice echoed down to them as she laughed. Still coughing, Teddie looked up, and her eyes widened as she saw Spencer slumped over Crunch's shoulder.

"Spencer!" she struggled to get to her feet, and fell to her knees again as she inhaled more smoke and tears stung at her eyes.

"Say goodbye to your precious Gold Ranger," Siren laughed, and with another blast, they vanished. Teddie reached out, and her fingers brushed his Morpher, the strap damaged, and she grabbed at it, looking around. However, there was no sign of them.

" _Spencer_!" her scream echoed as the rest were silent, trying to understand what had just happened.

* * *

 **So Spencer's in a bit of trouble...**

 **Let me know what you think ^^**

 **Please review!**


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